A gunman in Mexico on Saturday killed a mayor who had repeatedly asked President Claudia Sheinbaum for more resources to fight drug traffickers in his state of Michoacan.
Carlos Manzo had been attending a candlelight ceremony in Uruapan, Michoacan, on Saturday night before he was shot, according to a video posted on his official social media account. He was attacked shortly after 8 p.m. and later died at the hospital from his injuries, said Carlos Torres Piña, Michoacán’s attorney general. The authorities said they had not yet determined the motive.
In videos of the attack posted on social media, gunfire can be heard as dozens of people run for cover. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, the state’s governor, confirmed Mr. Manzo’s death in a social media post, saying the authorities had killed the attacker and detained two people.
Mr. Manzo had been a vocal critic of Ms. Sheinbaum’s approach against organized crime and had demanded more help from federal authorities. In recent months, he had posted videos saying he feared for his life. Last year, a journalist was fatally shot moments after he interviewed Mr. Manzo in Uruapan.
Michoacan has become a battle ground for some of Mexico’s most violent cartels as they try to fight for control to dominate the drug trade. Earlier this year Ms. Sheinbaum criticized Mr. Manzo after he urged local police to kill criminals who attack civilians. Mr. Manzo had been a member of her party, Morena, but ran as an independent in 2024.
The police recovered a 9-millimeter gun from the scene and were trying to identify the attacker, Mr. Torres Piña said in a video posted on social media early Sunday.
Andrés R. Martínez is a Times editor who leads a team in Seoul responsible for breaking news coverage.
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