Shortly past 8 p.m. on the recent Saturday, a young hitman, donning a white hoodie, emerged from Hotel Alamada and strolled approximately 50 meters to Plaza Morelos in Uruapan, a city in western Mexico famed as the avocado capital of the world. His objective was Mayor Carlos Manzo, known for standing up to armed criminal factions vying for control of the region through violent power struggles.
The assassin, armed with a 9-mm Beretta handgun, maneuvered through the festival crowds at Plaza Morelos, where families were gathered for the Festival of Candles during the local Day of the Dead festivities. Surveillance footage released by authorities revealed the assassin closing in on Manzo, who was also clad in white and mingling with the crowd alongside his family.
Upon reaching Manzo, the assailant fired seven shots before the mayor’s tardy federal bodyguards retaliated with lethal force. The tragic killing of Manzo has sparked widespread outrage and demonstrations in Michoacan, a state known for producing avocados and limes exported to Canada, with Uruapan being its second-largest city.
The young assassin, identified as 17-year-old Víctor Manuel Ubaldo Vidales from Paracho, Michoacan, was reportedly under the influence of methamphetamines and THC during the attack. Ballistics tests indicated that the weapon used in the assassination had been involved in three previous killings in the past month.
Manzo’s assassination has galvanized a wave of protests against the pervasive violence and lawlessness in Michoacan, resonating even in Mexico City, 400 kilometers away. The state’s Attorney General, Carlos Torres Piña, is spearheading the investigation into the tragic incident.
The violence in Michoacan stems from the fragmented armed factions vying for control after governmental crackdowns on established cartels, leaving a power vacuum exploited by criminal elements. Manzo, in contrast, stood out as a courageous and principled mayor who dared to confront organized crime despite the risks.
Manzo’s death has left a void in Michoacan’s political landscape, where he was seen as a potential gubernatorial candidate and even harbored presidential ambitions. His legacy, embodied in the “Movimiento del Sombrero” or Movement of the Hat, continues to inspire his supporters and fellow activists to pursue justice and combat corruption in the region.
