Mexico captures alleged mastermind of mayor's assassination

Mexican authorities announced Thursday the capture of the individual believed to be the mastermind behind the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo last November. The killing of the popular, crime-fighting mayor had ignited widespread international condemnation.

Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico's Security Secretary, identified the suspect as the leader of an armed group operating under the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Harfuch stated that this individual was the architect of the plot to kill Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan, a city situated in the agriculturally rich but violent state of Michoacan.

Mayor Manzo was tragically killed on the street with his family during the traditional Day of the Dead celebration. The assassination deeply shocked many Mexicans, who viewed the mayor, often seen in his cowboy hat, as a modern-day Robin Hood. They followed his social media, where he shared videos of himself accompanying police on operations against criminals and delivering speeches critical of Mexico's security policies.

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He was the mastermind behind the killing of Carlos Manzo in November 2025.

Manzo had publicly blamed President Claudia Sheinbaum and the state government of Michoacan for failing to curb the escalating violence in the region. Official figures indicate that over 130,000 people have disappeared since the start of Mexico's drug war in 2006, victims of either criminal organizations or state authorities.

Authorities arrested the suspect, identified as Ramon Angel “N,” or R1, withholding his last name for legal reasons. Garcia Harfuch reported that the arrest followed months of intelligence gathering and involved a joint operation of police and special military forces. He described the criminal cell led by the suspect as one of the "most violent tied to the CJNG," operating across Michoacan and the neighboring Jalisco state. This organization is reportedly involved in extortion, homicides, and drug trafficking, significantly impacting local producers, businessmen, and families.

The capture of R1 marks the 31st arrest made in connection with Mayor Manzo's assassination.

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This organization is tied to extortion, homicides, and drug trafficking, directly affecting producers, businessmen, and families in the region.