Cartels Murdered a Mexican Mayor and People Are Angry

People are rightly worried about the rise of political violence here in the US but in Mexico such violence is commonplace. Saturday night, a mayor in the western city of Uruapan was murdered by a cartel hitman during a public event. Carlos Manzo was beloved in the region for standing up to the cartels, even suggesting they should be shot on sight.

Carlos Manzo, a mayor in western Mexico, gained national fame this year with a simple but aggressive demand: that the Mexican authorities should summarily kill the armed cartel members who terrorize the country.

That militant stance made him extremely popular with voters in his city, Uruapan, and beyond. It also led the 40-year-old mayor to start wearing a bulletproof vest with his trademark cowboy hat, and Mexico’s federal government to assign military personnel to protect him.

He was given the nickname “Mexican Bukele” because he wanted to adopt the approach taken in El Salvador where President Nayib Bukele adopted what was known as the “iron fist” approach to gangs. That approach involved mass arrests and lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 12. As many as 66,000 people were imprisoned. But while civil rights groups complained, violent crime and kidnappings dropped and the country’s economy recovered.

Manzo was hated by the cartels but also not loved by his own federal government who he also criticized for being too soft on the cartels.

Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan, had become a thorn in the side of cartels in Michoacán State, where violence among rival criminal groups and with state and federal security forces has exploded.

He often denounced criminal groups for extorting the avocado and lime producers in his city, an economic engine in Michoacán, even vowing to take lethal action against local cartels.

Mr. Manzo was also an uncomfortable figure for Mexico’s federal government. He had criticized President Claudia Sheinbaum’s strategy to curb cartel violence as a failure and demanded more power to fight back.

“We need greater determination from the president of Mexico,” he told a radio interviewer in September, adding that despite receiving threats he would not take “a single step back.”

He then reflected on his own safety. “I do not want to be just another mayor on the list of those who have been executed and had their lives taken away from them,” he said. “I am very afraid, but I must face it with courage.”

This photo of Manzo was taken Saturday just moments before he was murdered. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the US was ready to “deepen security cooperation” with Mexico to take out the cartels.

On this All Souls’ Day, my thoughts are with the family and friends of Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico, who was assassinated at a public Day of the Dead celebration last night. The US stands ready to deepen security cooperation with Mexico to wipe out organized… pic.twitter.com/hf8XObasHf

— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) November 2, 2025

There is lots of video from the scene. In this clip you can hear the gunshots and see people running.

Fury in Mexico as the cartels murder Carlos Manzo, Mayor of Uruapan, the second-largest city in the State of Michoacán.

For months, the mayor had been recording livestreams, asking Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to help him fight the cartels in his city.

He had launched a… pic.twitter.com/r7GTFEMCCC

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 2, 2025

For months, the mayor had been recording livestreams, asking Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to help him fight the cartels in his city.

He had launched a major security operation against them and asked for backup from the army and state. He later frequently criticized Sheinbaum for doing nothing against organized crime.

He was viewed as someone who could challenge Sheinbaum in the next preidential election in 2030 (they were both from the same Morena Party).

He was shot dead yesterday evening while celebrating the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) with his young son and wife.

Mexicans are outraged by the murder and the cartel violence. They will now take to the streets to protest on November 15th.

Former President Vincente Fox made a video taking off his hat to Manzo.

CUANDO UN MEXICANO SE LEVANTA CON VALENTÍA, NOS RECUERDA DE QUÉ ESTAMOS HECHOS.
CARLOS MANZO NOS DIO UNA LECCIÓN DE DIGNIDAD Y AMOR POR MÉXICO.
HOY ME QUITO EL SOMBRERO ANTE ÉL.
QUE SU EJEMPLO NOS DESPIERTE.

NECESITAMOS DESPERTAR.
HOY, HOY, HOY.

POR MÉXICO. 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/X5j4PaKhEY

— Vicente Fox Quesada (@VicenteFoxQue) November 4, 2025

WHEN A MEXICAN RISES WITH COURAGE, IT REMINDS US OF WHAT WE ARE MADE OF. 

CARLOS MANZO GAVE US A LESSON IN DIGNITY AND LOVE FOR MEXICO.

TODAY I TAKE OFF MY HAT TO HIM. MAY HIS EXAMPLE AWAKEN US.

WE NEED TO AWAKEN.

TODAY, TODAY, TODAY. FOR MEXICO.

A Mexican Senator named Lilly Tellez lashed out at another senator, calling him an “imbecile” and an “idiot” and asking him to cry over Carlos Manzo.

‼️‼️La senadora @LillyTellez llama “imbécil” e “idiota” al senador morenista Gerardo Fernández Noroña y le pide que llore por Carlos Manzo.

También arremete contra el morenista Esquer y le pide explicar qué pactos hicieron con los narcos de Michoacán.

Lilly Téllez estaba en la… pic.twitter.com/K1dHQboBsv

— Leti RoblesdelaRosa (@letroblesrosa) November 4, 2025

But the angriest of all were regular people who live in fear of the cartels and are tired of not seeing anyone stand up for them. The stormed a government building.

Protesters stormed the Government Palace of Michoacán in western Mexico after a march demanding justice for Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo. The anti-crime mayor was shot dead at a public event in a violence-plagued area. pic.twitter.com/FjBz9r7EX7

— DW News (@dwnews) November 4, 2025

There have also been marches in the streets with people blaming his death on the indifference of the federal government.

Students march in Uruapan after the murder of Mayor Carlos Manzo, chanting “Carlos didn’t die, the government killed him.” Universities suspend classes and plan a downtown rally as student mobilizations spread across Michoacán. pic.twitter.com/cADQWAb5dE

— Outbound Mexico (@OutboundMexico) November 3, 2025

For her part, President Sheinbaum is refusing to admit any failure or commit to any changes in policy toward the cartels.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday ruled out changes to security policies after the assassination of a mayor in the violent state of Michoacan again raised questions about her administration’s actions to confront criminal groups that control vast parts of the country.

In response to the shock generated by the lethal attack against Uruapan Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, Sheinbaum defended her policies, saying she has reduced homicides and accused her adversaries of acting like vultures and scavengers following the mayor’s assassination.

“Some are calling for militarization and war, as happened with the war on drugs. That didn’t work,” Sheinbaum said, affirming her focus on reinforcing the presence of security forces in Michoacan and other states, strengthening intelligence and investigative work and addressing the root causes of violence.

She also responded to the offer made by the Deputy Secretary of State (above):

In reference to a proposal made by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau for greater security cooperation, Sheinbaum said “Mexico is a free and sovereign country” and added that “we accept help in information, in intelligence, but not intervention.”

So that’s where things stand at the moment. Lots of people angry over the death of a man who stood up to the cartels and the president who refuses to get tough says things are fine as is. I’m sure the cartels are happy to hear it.