One year after his death, Uruapan mayor's killers still shape city politics
Thirty-four people have been detained in the murder of Carlos Alberto Manzo, whose successor Grecia Quiroz now faces renewed violence and accusations of covering for the plot.
By Camila Herrera ·
A year after Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo was shot in the main plaza of Uruapan, Mexico, his death continues to divide the city and its political leadership.
Manzo was killed during Day of the Dead celebrations on a day when many criminal groups traditionally lower their weapons. He had built a reputation for aggressively targeting cartels and challenging the ruling Morena party. His successor, Grecia Quiroz, has vowed to continue his anti-crime campaign while managing a surge in local violence.
Quiroz is now escorted around the clock by 60 federally appointed bodyguards. She travels in a convoy of three armored cars and two military trucks packed with armed guards. "No one can fill his void," she said. "I'm extremely worried that if tomorrow, something happens to me, what will (my children) do without a father and a mother?"
State prosecutors have detained 34 people in connection with the murder. The group includes seven of Manzo's bodyguards who were present during the attack, members of his government accused of leaking his movements, and his godson. Prosecutors announced Thursday that they detained the city's current secretary of welfare on obstruction of justice charges. They said she is related to two alleged members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The case has sparked a bitter political feud. Federal and state authorities blame the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for the killing. Quiroz accuses state officials from the ruling party, who were long at odds with Manzo, of being behind the death. Manzo's brother, a member of the state government, has accused Quiroz of protecting some of the detained individuals. "I can't directly accuse her," Juan Manzo said. "But the reality is that she has covered for many of those responsible for the murder of her children's father."
Violence in Uruapan has increased in recent weeks. State authorities documented 17 killings, eight gunshot injuries, and four attacks on businesses and homes in October. A masked man on a motorcycle shot two women at a taco stand over the weekend, killing one. Police also found two men in an avocado field with severe burns and signs of torture.
In response, state authorities sent 200 law enforcement officers to the city on Tuesday. Quiroz requested federal help from President Claudia Sheinbaum. "We cannot allow violence to become our new normal," she wrote on X. "Uruapan deserves to live in peace."
Manzo's legacy remains visible throughout the city. Posters and busts decorate the plaza where he was killed. His grave is open to the public and covered with flowers, food offerings, and white sombreros. A headstone at the site reads, "Not a single step backward."
