Police in Mexico have arrested a man they accuse of being the mastermind behind the murder of a popular mayor.
Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan, was shot dead on 1 November at a public event marking the Day of the Dead.
Manzo was an outspoken critic of cartel violence in his home state of Michoacán and his assassination triggered mass protests.
Mexico's security minister stated that the man suspected of ordering his murder had links to the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
This arrest represents a key step in dismantling the criminal structure responsible for this attack, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch remarked.
He did not specify the motive for the attack, although local officials frequently face threats from criminal gangs when they refuse to comply with their demands.
García Harfuch identified the suspect as Jorge Amando, withholding his surname, and indicated he was the orchestrator of the attack on Manzo.
He mentioned that Amando, also known as The Graduate, communicated with the assailants via WhatsApp and instructed them to open fire on Manzo even amidst a crowd.
The mayor was shot seven times while attending a Day of the Dead ceremony, prompting panic among bystanders.
Manzo explicitly pointed out the extortion and threats faced by avocado farmers in the region and urged the federal government to take stronger actions against cartel influence.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, blamed for Manzo’s assassination, is notorious for its involvement in drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion, and has a history of targeting officials who oppose them.
The assassination spurred major protests, with demonstrators throughout Mexico City rallying under the banner of solidarity with Manzo.
During a significant protest in Mexico City, many participants held placards bearing Manzo's image and chanted, we are all Carlos Manzo, while some clashes erupted with the police in the central Zócalo square.
