Anti-cartel mayor Carlos Manzo killed on Mexico’s Day of the Dead

A Mexican mayor who openly opposed drug cartels and pushed for tough anti-trafficking laws was killed in a shooting during a Day of the Dead celebration over the weekend.

Before his death, Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo criticized Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for what he saw as a lack of effort in fighting the cartels. His city is in the state of Michoacán, which suffers from particularly high levels of cartel violence.

“We need greater determination from the Mexican president,” Manzo told local media in September, promising not to take “a single step backwards.”

“I don’t want to be just another mayor on the list of those who were executed and lost their lives,” he continued. “I am very afraid, but I must face it with courage.”

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Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan and one of Mexico’s few elected independent politicians, attends a Day of the Dead candlelight festival in Uruapan, Michoacan state, Mexico, shortly before he was shot, leading to his death, on November 1, 2025, in this screenshot taken from a live video broadcast by his team and obtained from social media. (Carlos Manzo via Facebook/handout via REUTERS)

State officials say Manzo was shot seven times Saturday night during a Day of the Dead vigil. He died of his injuries at a nearby hospital.

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Mexican Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced on Sunday the opening of an investigation into Manzo’s murder.

Family and friends attend the funeral of Carlos Manzo, the mayor who was shot during a Day of the Dead event, in Uruapan, Mexico, November 2, 2025. (Reuters/Ivan Arias)

“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones and the people of Uruapan, who today are suffering a painful and unjust loss at the hands of organized crime,” Harfuch said at a news conference. “There will be no impunity.”

Authorities said Manzo’s security was extensive, staffed by officers hand-picked by Manzo as well as 14 members of the National Guard.

A person holds a photo of Carlos Manzo, the mayor who was shot dead during a Day of the Dead event, in Uruapan, Mexico, November 2, 2025. (Reuters/Ivan Arias)

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Manzo’s aggressive approach to crime earned him the nickname “Mexican Bukele,” a reference to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who led a massive crackdown on gang violence in his country. According to the New York Times, Manzo had criticized Sheinbaum’s approach to cartel issues since his inauguration in October 2024.

“If she thinks she’s going to stop these criminals without a single shot being fired and they’ll just surrender, well, she should do it,” Manzo said in a speech in May, referring to Sheinbaum. “And believe me, if she succeeds, I will tender my resignation immediately.”