Mexican Mayor Killed: Gunmen Target Crime-Fighting Official
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Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo Shot Dead During Day of the Dead Event
Gunmen shot dead the mayor of a Mexican city during a public event on Saturday, authorities saeid, in an area plagued by violence and organized crime.
Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in the western state of Michoacan, was killed in an attack in the city center, the national public security agency said in a statement.
“Two people involved in the incident were arrested, and one of the assailants had lost his life,” it added.
Michoacan state has for years suffered violence from powerful drug cartels operating in the agricultural region, seeking to extort farmers.
Manzo was shot during an event marking the Day of the Dead.
Videos shared online showed people fleeing the crowded event after gunshots were heard.
Manzo became mayor in September 2024 and occasionally joined security patrols on the streets wearing a bulletproof vest.
In a video on his social media of one such patrol in June, he urged the federal government to do more to tackle violent crime.
His killing came days after…
The Context: Violence in Michoacan
michoacan has long been a hotspot for cartel activity, primarily due to its strategic location for drug trafficking and its rich agricultural lands, which are exploited for illicit crop cultivation and extortion. Several cartels vie for control of the region,