• Seven bodyguards arrested over the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo.
• The mayor was shot dead in public during a Day of the Dead ceremony.
• The arrests have led to widespread protests across Mexico.
• An alleged mastermind linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel has also been detained.
• President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a new security strategy following the incident.

Mexican authorities have arrested seven bodyguards in connection with the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, who was killed on November 1 during a public event marking the Day of the Dead. His guards, identified as active police officers, were taken into custody for their probable involvement in "aggravated homicide," as stated by the attorney general’s office of Michoacán state. The murder has sparked outrage and calls for justice across the nation, highlighting the failures of the security detail in protecting the mayor, according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

The assailant, a 17-year-old shooter, fatally shot Manzo in front of his family and was subsequently killed by members of his security team. Manzo had built a reputation as a fierce critic of organized crime and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is believed to orchestrate his assassination. Local protests erupted following the incident, demanding action against cartel violence and accountability from government officials, reports SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

In conjunction with the arrests, authorities apprehended Jorge Armando "N," viewed as the mastermind behind Manzo's assassination, with reported ties to the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The federal Security Secretariat linked this criminal group to the broader context of organized crime in Michoacán, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced security measures in the region, according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

In response to the crisis, President Claudia Sheinbaum has unveiled a new strategy, Plan Michoacan, which includes deploying 10,000 troops across the state to combat organized crime. This move reflects intensified governmental efforts following Manzo’s assassination and nationwide protests against increasing cartel violence and political corruption, as detailed by SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.