Mayor's assassination triggers political feud and spike in violence in Uruapan

Uruapan, Mexico, has seen 17 killings, eight gunshot injuries, and four attacks on properties in October, according to state authorities. This spike in violence follows the assassination of former Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo nearly a year ago. His current successor, Mayor Grecia Quiroz, is now escorted by 60 federally appointed bodyguards and three armored cars.

Manzo was one of at least 13 mayors killed in Mexico in the two years since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office. An Associated Press tally based on official reports places this number against 23 sitting mayors killed during the previous administration’s six-year term. The killings present a challenge for Sheinbaum as the Trump administration presses her government to crack down on cartels and root out corruption in local governments.

The assassination of Manzo, who led the grassroots Sombrero Movement, triggered a political feud in Michoacan state. Federal and state authorities blame the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, for the murder. Quiroz has accused state officials in the ruling Morena party and criminal groups of being behind the death. The dispute has intensified ahead of local elections, with rival factions accusing one another of exploiting Manzo’s death.

State prosecutors have described a complex conspiracy that extended to Manzo’s inner circle. Thirty-four people have been detained in connection with the killing. Among them are seven bodyguards who were with Manzo at the time, members of his government accused of leaking his movements, and his godson, who is accused of helping plan the assassination. On Thursday, prosecutors detained the city’s current secretary of welfare for obstruction of justice, alleging she is related to two arrested CJNG members.

Quiroz has faced scrutiny for declining to turn over Manzo’s cellphone to prosecutors. Juan Manzo, the mayor’s brother and a Morena member, accused Quiroz of covering for those responsible for the murder. He stated that she has not been transparent during the investigation. Quiroz denied the accusations, telling her political movement that their family was betrayed by those closest to them.

The violence has affected local commerce. Store owner David Vázquez said extortions by local mafias have mounted since Manzo’s death, forcing his family to temporarily close their business. State authorities sent 200 law enforcement officers to the city on Tuesday to boost security. Residents are divided in their reaction to Quiroz’s heavy security detail, with some resenting the protection and others believing she is doing her best amid trauma.

Manzo’s presence remains visible in the city. Posters and busts pay tribute to him in the plaza where he was killed. His grave is open to the public and covered with flowers, food offerings, and white sombreros. The headstone reads: “Not a single step backward.”