Mexico Mayor Shot Dead During Day of the Dead Celebrations
The mayor of Uruapan, Mexico, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, was fatally shot Saturday night in a plaza filled with people celebrating Day of the Dead, authorities confirmed.
The attack occurred in the historic center of Uruapan, Michoacan, as residents gathered for traditional festivities. According to state prosecutor Carlos Torres Piña, Manzo Rodríguez was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. A city council member and a bodyguard were also injured in the shooting. Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch stated that the assailant was killed at the scene and that the weapon used was connected to recent clashes between rival criminal groups in the region.
“No line of investigation is being ruled out to clarify this cowardly act that took the life of the mayor,” García Harfuch told journalists yesterday. The killing highlights the ongoing violence faced by local politicians in Mexico, often targeted by organized crime. Manzo Rodríguez had previously voiced concerns about cartel activity in Uruapan and even publicly appealed to President Claudia Sheinbaum for assistance, accusing the state governor and police of corruption. Michoacan is a key battleground for drug cartels, as detailed by the Council on Foreign Relations.
Hundreds of Uruapan residents participated in a funeral procession today, chanting “Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!” – a reference to the ruling party. The mayor’s death follows a pattern of violence against local officials in Michoacan, including the June killing of Tacambaro mayor Salvador Bastidas. You can find more information about the security situation in Mexico on the U.S. State Department website.
Authorities are continuing their investigation and have vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
