Arrests come amid investigations linking the assassination to organized crime, highlighting persistent threats to local officials.
Seven bodyguards assigned to Mexican Mayor Carlos Manzo have been arrested in connection with his assassination, according to statements from the Michoacán state prosecutor’s office. Manzo, a vocal opponent of organized crime and drug cartel violence in Uruapan, was shot dead on November 1 during a Day of the Dead celebration, an event commemorating deceased loved ones. The mayor was 40 years old and had been in office for just over a year.
The seven bodyguards, who were municipal police officers in Manzo’s security detail, were taken into custody for their alleged “possible involvement in the offense of qualified homicide.” They were escorted from a municipal building by a combination of local prosecutors, military personnel, and National Guard members. The investigation also revealed that a 17-year-old assailant was responsible for the shooting and was subsequently killed by Manzo’s guards at the scene.
Authorities have tied the assassination to organized crime, specifically highlighting probable links to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CNG), a notorious drug trafficking organization known for extortion and violence. Federal agents recently captured a man identified as “El Licenciado,” considered one of the masterminds behind the murder and a leader within the cartel.
Manzo’s murder sparked nationwide protests and widespread anger, leading to increased federal military presence and the launch of Plan Michoacán, an initiative aimed at enhancing security and funding social programs to counter cartel influence in the region. His wife has since been appointed as the new mayor of Uruapan.
The case exposes the grave challenges faced by public officials battling cartel violence and underscores concerns over infiltration and complicity within security forces. The arrests of the bodyguards intensify scrutiny of Mexico’s law enforcement agencies and reflect ongoing efforts to combat corruption and organized crime at multiple levels of governance.
