The city of Uruapan, nestled in the heart of Mexico’s avocado-rich Michoacan state, found itself plunged into mourning and outrage this past weekend after the brazen assassination of its mayor, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez. The 40-year-old leader, known for his outspoken stance against organized crime, was shot dead on the night of November 1, 2025, as families and visitors gathered in the town’s historic center to celebrate the Day of the Dead—a time when communities across Mexico honor their ancestors with candlelit vigils, marigold flowers, and vibrant festivities.
According to multiple sources, including AP, Sky News, and Al Jazeera, Manzo Rodríguez was gunned down in front of dozens of stunned onlookers, including children, tourists, and local residents. The attack, carried out by an unidentified man who fired seven shots at the mayor, also left a city council member and a bodyguard wounded. State prosecutor Carlos Torres Piña confirmed that Manzo Rodríguez was rushed to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch told journalists that the assailant was killed at the scene, and two other suspects were later arrested by authorities.
The scene was chaotic, as captured in video footage shared widely on social media. Residents and tourists, many in costume and with faces painted in traditional skull motifs, were abruptly forced to scatter as the sound of gunfire shattered the festive atmosphere. In one video, a person can be seen lying on the ground while police and paramedics attempt CPR, underscoring the suddenness and violence of the attack.
The weapon used in the assassination was linked to two previous armed clashes between rival criminal groups operating in the region, García Harfuch revealed. Michoacan, long recognized as one of Mexico’s most violent states, has become a battleground for cartels vying for control over lucrative drug distribution routes and the profitable avocado trade. Uruapan itself, often dubbed Mexico’s avocado capital, has seen its booming industry targeted by criminal organizations eager to extort farmers and exporters.
Manzo Rodríguez was no stranger to the dangers of local politics in Michoacan. He had been under official protection since December 2024, just three months after taking office, with his security detail reinforced in May 2025 to include municipal police and 14 National Guard officers. Despite these precautions—and his habit of wearing a bulletproof vest in public—the mayor’s life ended violently in the very plaza where he had so often called for peace and justice.
In the aftermath of the killing, hundreds of Uruapan residents dressed in black took to the streets on November 2 to accompany Manzo Rodríguez’s funeral procession. Many held up photographs of the late mayor and chanted, “Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!”—a pointed reference to the ruling party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. At the head of the somber procession, a man led Manzo Rodríguez’s black horse, its saddle adorned with one of the mayor’s signature hats, while a group of musicians played mournful mariachi songs. Security was tight, with dozens of police and military officers guarding the area as the community paid its respects.
President Sheinbaum herself condemned the assassination in the strongest terms, calling it a “vile” act and promising that justice would be served. “We reaffirm our commitment to deploy all the State’s efforts to achieve peace and security with zero impunity and full justice,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter) after convening an emergency meeting of her security cabinet. Federal Security Secretary García Harfuch echoed this sentiment, declaring, “No line of investigation is being ruled out to clarify this cowardly act that took the life of the mayor.” He added, “The aggressors took advantage of the vulnerability of a public event. Be certain that there will be no impunity.”
Manzo Rodríguez’s murder was not an isolated incident. In June 2025, Salvador Bastidas, the mayor of the nearby municipality of Tacambaro, was killed along with his bodyguard as he returned home. In October 2024, journalist Mauricio Cruz Solís was shot in Uruapan shortly after interviewing Manzo Rodríguez. And in the neighboring state of Guerrero, the mayor of Chilpancingo was murdered just days after taking office. These killings have fueled a growing sense of insecurity among local officials, journalists, and ordinary citizens alike.
The late mayor’s confrontational approach to organized crime set him apart from many of his peers. Nicknamed “The Mexican Bukele” after El Salvador’s hardline president, Manzo Rodríguez was elected in 2024 after campaigning as an independent, having previously been affiliated with the Morena Party. He was a vocal critic of both former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” policy—which emphasized social programs over direct confrontation with cartels—and what he saw as corruption among state officials. In recent months, he had publicly appealed to President Sheinbaum for more robust federal action against criminal groups and accused Michoacan’s pro-government governor, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, and the state police of failing to protect the community.
His warnings were chillingly prescient. In a September 2025 interview with journalist Joaquin Lopez-Doriga, Manzo Rodríguez said, “I don’t want to be just another mayor on the list of those executed, those whose lives have been taken from them.” In another interview with Milenio TV, he asked, “How many mayors have they killed because they opposed making these pacts with organized crime?” He insisted that, despite the risks, it was important not to let fear control the community’s response to violence.
International condemnation followed swiftly. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted a photo of Manzo Rodríguez holding his young son at the Day of the Dead celebration just moments before the attack, writing, “The US stands ready to deepen security cooperation with Mexico to wipe out organized crime on both sides of the border. May his soul rest in peace and may his memory inspire prompt and effective action.”
Manzo Rodríguez’s killing has reignited debate over the safety of local politicians in Mexico, where violence against public officials is tragically common. According to Sky News, local politicians are frequently targeted by both political rivals and organized crime groups. The mayor’s father was a community activist, and Manzo Rodríguez’s rise to prominence was marked by his refusal to compromise with criminal elements—a stance that ultimately put him in the crosshairs of those he opposed.
As Uruapan mourns its mayor, the community’s demands for justice and security remain urgent. The city’s unique position as an agricultural hub, especially for avocados, makes it both a symbol of Mexico’s economic potential and a flashpoint in the ongoing struggle against organized crime. For many, the death of Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez is not just a personal tragedy but a stark reminder of the challenges facing those who dare to confront violence and corruption in Mexico’s most embattled regions.
The echoes of the funeral procession—calls for justice, music of mourning, and the memory of a mayor who refused to be silenced—linger in Uruapan’s streets, even as the fight for peace and accountability continues.
