Shocking video footage has surfaced online showing the moment Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, the mayor of Uruapan in western Mexico, was gunned down during Day of the Dead celebrations on Saturday night.
The 44-year-old politician, who was under police protection, was killed in front of dozens of people in the city’s historic centre.
Authorities confirmed that Manzo was attending a public event in Uruapan, Michoacán, when an unidentified gunman opened fire, striking him seven times.
A city council member and one of his bodyguards were also wounded in the attack. The mayor was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to state prosecutor Carlos Torres Piña.
Federal security secretary Omar García Harfuch told reporters that the weapon used in the assassination had been linked to at least two previous shootouts between rival criminal groups operating in the region.
“No line of investigation is being ruled out to clarify this cowardly act that took the life of the mayor,” Harfuch said.
Michoacán remains one of Mexico’s most violent states, with powerful cartels battling for control over drug trafficking routes and extortion rackets. The state has seen a surge in attacks on public officials, including mayors, journalists, and police officers, as organised crime tightens its grip on local politics.
Videos circulating on social media show the moment of the shooting. In one clip, crowds of families and tourists can be seen celebrating before a series of gunshots ring out.
People scatter in panic as music abruptly stops. In another video, a man lies motionless on the ground while an official performs CPR amid chaos.
Manzo, who was elected mayor in 2024 as an independent candidate, had been under police protection since December that year, just three months after taking office.
His security detail was strengthened in May 2025 with the addition of 14 National Guard officers and municipal police, though authorities have not said why his protection was increased.
Known locally as “the Mexican Bukele” — a reference to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and his tough stance on crime — Manzo had been vocal about tackling cartel influence in Uruapan.
In recent months, he had repeatedly used social media to call on Mexico’s federal government for help in fighting organised crime.
In one of his final public posts, Manzo accused Michoacán’s pro-government governor, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, and members of the state police of corruption.
His criticism reportedly caused political tension with members of the ruling Morena party, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum.
On Sunday, thousands of residents dressed in black filled Uruapan’s streets to accompany the funeral procession. Many held photos of the slain mayor and chanted “Justice, justice. Out with Morena.”
At the front of the procession, a man led Manzo’s black horse, carrying one of the mayor’s signature cowboy hats on the saddle, while mariachi musicians played somber songs.
Police and military officers guarded the streets during the procession, with authorities warning of possible retaliation between rival groups.
Investigators have not confirmed any arrests. Mexico’s Ministry of Security has pledged to deploy federal forces to Michoacán in response to the escalating violence.
