The governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, stated that the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, murdered on Saturday, “knew” that he was taking “a risk for his fight against crime.”
In addition, the governor reported at a press conference that there are indications that organized crime is behind the crime perpetrated on Saturday night during a public Day of the Dead event.
“(Manzo) knew every day that he took a risk in his fight against crime,” said the governor, lamenting the murder of the mayor, whom he described as “young, forward-thinking, brave, determined and human.”
Asked about the criminal group behind the shooting, Ramírez Bedolla indicated that although there are “indications”, such as the murder weapon, more details will be given until we have “certainty” of the group responsible.
“Because although it is true that the perpetrator was killed on the spot, there are intellectual actors and there is an organized crime group behind this homicide,” he noted.
The Prosecutor of Michoacán, Carlos Torres Piña, stated that the attack was “planned”, since there were videos from surveillance cameras following the aggressor before committing the crime.
Find out: IP condemns the crime of the mayor of Uruapan and asks to clarify the facts
However, he specified that the material aggressor, who was killed after shooting the mayor seven times, has not been identified and it is presumed that he was a minor.
“There was planning for the homicide, in which at least two people participated,” said the Prosecutor.
He added that the weapon used was a 9 millimeter caliber, which has been linked to other homicides committed on October 16 and 23 in Michoacán.
Ramírez Bedolla promised “justice” and to work “so that those responsible pay before the law” for the crime that has shocked the population in Michoacán, generating intense protests in recent days.
Regarding the protests, he indicated that those of a “peaceful” nature are “legitimate and perfectly understandable,” but considered that they can be “taken advantage of by interests, groups and in minutes they can become violent,” as happened on Sunday at the state Government Palace.
The demonstrations continue this Monday in Michoacán, called by students, under the demand for peace and justice, in Uruapan and Morelia, capital of Michoacán.
Wearing white t-shirts and hats, alluding to the mayor who founded the independent movement ‘El Sombrero’, the young people marched through the streets, with no reports of violence.
Carlos Manzo governed the municipality of Uruapan since September 1, 2024, being the first independent mayor in this town, who called himself ‘the Mexican Bukele’ for his frontal combat against organized crime.
Under Manzo, at least 10 mayors or municipal presidents have been murdered in Mexico, so far in the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October 2024.
With information from EFE.
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