On the evening of November 1, 2025, the heart of Uruapan, a bustling city in Mexico’s Michoacán state, was transformed from a site of celebration to a scene of tragedy. Mayor Carlos Manzo, a prominent political figure and a frequent target of cartel threats, was gunned down during the inauguration of the city’s Candle Festival, a signature event coinciding with the Day of the Dead festivities. The attack, which occurred around 8:10 p.m. in the city center, has since sent shockwaves through Mexican politics and ignited new debates about the nation’s ongoing struggle with organized crime.
According to the Michoacán state prosecutor’s office, Manzo was shot up to six times by a lone teenage gunman, later identified as 17-year-old Victor Ubaldo. Despite the immediate chaos, Manzo was rushed to the Fray Juan de San Miguel Hospital, where doctors fought to save his life. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival, as reported by Telegraph and corroborated by local authorities.
The violence did not end with Manzo’s assassination. In a chilling turn, Ubaldo—the alleged gunman—was subdued, handcuffed, and then executed at close range by one of Manzo’s own bodyguards, Demetrio N. Investigators revealed that Demetrio N. shot Ubaldo in the back of the head from a distance of just 10 centimeters, using the same weapon that had been used to kill the mayor. This act, described by the prosecutor’s office as a cold-blooded execution, occurred while Ubaldo was already restrained and posed no immediate threat.
Demetrio N., now under arrest, initially claimed that he had struggled with Ubaldo for control of the weapon and that the gun had discharged during the altercation. However, forensic evidence and the prosecutor’s reconstruction of the events dispute this version. The official statement maintains that Demetrio N.’s account is false, and the evidence points instead to a deliberate execution after the suspect was in custody.
Further complicating the aftermath, police officers reportedly prevented paramedics from treating Ubaldo at the scene. Only after the arrival of the National Guard was medical access granted, by which time the teenager had already died. This detail, confirmed by the Michoacán prosecutor’s office, has fueled public outrage and raised questions about the conduct and integrity of local law enforcement.
In the days following the murders, authorities moved swiftly. On Friday, November 21, 2025, seven municipal police officers—including Demetrio N.—were arrested for their involvement in the killing of Mayor Manzo. State and federal authorities, supported by soldiers and National Guard troops, detained the suspects near the very site where Manzo had fallen. According to Telegraph, at least five of the suspects were seen being taken into custody just steps away from the Candle Festival’s central square.
The Michoacán state prosecutor’s office later confirmed in a statement that seven public officials were arrested for their "possible participation in the murder." All seven had served as bodyguards for Manzo, whose security team was notably large due to the persistent threats he faced from organized crime. The prosecutor’s office now accuses these bodyguards of qualified homicide, specifically commission by omission—a legal term indicating that their failure to act, or their active participation, directly contributed to the tragedy.
Attention quickly turned to the broader conspiracy behind the assassination. On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Mexican authorities announced the arrest of a man identified as the intellectual author of the plot: Jorge Armando N., known as "The Licensed." The investigation revealed that the hit was orchestrated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations. The cartel had allegedly offered a bounty of 2 million pesos (about 94,000 euros) for Manzo’s death—a sum that underscores the high stakes and ruthless tactics employed by such groups.
For many, the most disturbing revelation was the apparent complicity or, at best, negligence of those entrusted with the mayor’s protection. The security team’s failure to prevent the attack, combined with the summary execution of the teenage gunman, has provoked a crisis of confidence in Uruapan’s police force and raised uncomfortable questions about corruption and infiltration by organized crime.
Manzo’s murder has also had immediate political repercussions. In the wake of his death, his wife was sworn in as the new mayor of Uruapan. The transition, while swift, has done little to calm the city’s shaken residents or its political establishment. Across Mexico, opposition leaders have seized upon the incident to criticize the federal government’s handling of security. They point out that Manzo had repeatedly requested additional protection from federal authorities due to ongoing cartel threats—requests that, according to multiple sources, went unheeded.
The killing has placed intense pressure on President Claudia Sheinbaum and her administration to rethink their approach to public safety. In response, Sheinbaum announced the "Michoacán Plan," a sweeping strategy that combines increased social spending with a robust military presence. According to Telegraph, the plan includes the deployment of 10,000 troops across the state, aimed at reasserting government control and dismantling the networks of criminal organizations like the CJNG.
This latest episode of violence in Michoacán is far from an isolated incident. The state has long been a battleground for rival cartels, with local officials frequently caught in the crossfire. The murder of a sitting mayor during a public festival—carried out by a teenage assassin and followed by the execution of the suspect by police—has become a grim symbol of the lawlessness and impunity that continue to plague many parts of Mexico.
As investigators continue to unravel the full extent of the conspiracy, the people of Uruapan and the wider Mexican public are left grappling with difficult questions: How deep does the rot go within local police and political institutions? Can the federal government’s new security plan restore a sense of safety and trust? Or will the cycle of violence and retribution persist, claiming even more victims in the future?
For now, the streets of Uruapan remain tense, the memory of Mayor Manzo’s assassination fresh in the minds of its citizens. The case stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle to bring peace and accountability to regions long haunted by organized crime.