Two bodies, one of them a teenager, have been discovered near a road and are believed to be connected to the suspects involved in the killing of a mayor who was taking action against drug cartels. Carlos Manzo, aged 40, from Uruapan, a city located approximately 251 miles west of Mexico City, was fatally shot in a crowded central square during Day of the Dead celebrations. Following the mayor’s murder, 17-year-old Miguel Angel Ubaldo Vidales was identified and subsequently killed by law enforcement, with an ongoing investigation into the incident.
The mayor had requested additional support from the Mexican central government to combat drug-related criminal activities, while Ubaldo Vidales was found to have ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The assailant, who fired six shots at the mayor, had been reported missing from his residence for about a week prior.
Governor Alfedo Ramirez Bedolla has disclosed that the two deceased individuals found on the road between Uruapan and Paracho, near Capacuaro, were believed to be accomplices of the individual responsible for the mayor’s assassination. Ramirez Bedolla confirmed that two others were involved in the mayor’s killing, with one of them being 16 years old, underscoring the concerning trend of youth recruitment by cartels in Michoacan.
Despite the mayor having eight private bodyguards and 14 police officers protecting him, an investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of the attack that led to his death. Additionally, authorities are looking into the killing of Ubaldo Vidales, who had been in police custody but was shot. Ramirez Bedolla mentioned that further inquiries are being made into the shooting of the apprehended killer, who died in a scuffle, along with the recent discovery of the deceased accomplices.
Meanwhile, Grecia Quiroz, the widow of Manzo, was sworn in to take over her husband’s role as mayor and has vowed to continue his initiatives. Quiroz expressed her determination to carry on Manzo’s legacy, stating, “They killed Carlos Manzo, but they couldn’t kill what he awakened.”
