• Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan, was shot dead during Day of the Dead festivities.
• Manzo had been a vocal critic of organized crime and called for government action on security.
• His assassination sparked protests in Uruapan, demanding justice and condemning the ruling party.
• Manzo's security had been reinforced prior to his death due to rising threats.
• The attack underscores the ongoing violence against politicians in Mexico.

Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, the mayor of Uruapan in Mexico's Michoacán state, was gunned down on the night of November 1 during a public Day of the Dead celebration, shocking the local community. While attending the festivities in a plaza packed with attendees, Manzo was shot seven times by an unidentified assailant who was subsequently killed at the scene. The attack also left a city council member and a bodyguard injured, according to Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, who stated that the weapon used was linked to prior clashes between rival criminal groups in the area, raising concerns about the pervasive violence in the region, according to Reuters and NPR.

The incident incited outrage among citizens, who marched on November 2 dressed in black, holding photographs of Manzo and chanting for justice against the ruling Morena party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Attendees demanded accountability following Manzo’s clear vocalizations against organized crime and his calls for governmental assistance in dealing with such threats. "Justice! Justice! Out with Morena!" was a commonly heard refrain, reflecting deep frustrations towards the government and its handling of crime, as noted by Los Angeles Times and India Times.

Manzo, who was regarded as a tireless advocate against organized crime, had been vocal about the need for stronger state protection and expressed concerns for his safety prior to his assassination. He publicly criticized the government’s security strategy, urging that a more aggressive approach was necessary to combat the drug cartels that frequently threaten local officials and citizens. Despite being under federal protection since December 2024, with enhanced security measures in place, the shooting highlighted vulnerabilities that persist for local politicians in Mexico, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

The killing of Manzo is part of a disturbing pattern of violence against public officials in Mexico, particularly in Michoacán, an area known for its lawlessness and turf wars among drug cartels. It follows the earlier assassination of Salvador Bastidas, mayor of Tacámbaro, who was murdered in June. This ongoing trend of violence raises significant concerns regarding the safety of elected representatives in regions plagued by organized crime, reflecting the urgent need for effective reforms in public safety and law enforcement, as reported by Le Monde and South China Morning Post.