The Prosecutor of Michoacán revealed to El Financiero that he is investigating the CJNG for the murder of the Mayor of Uruapan, after the arrest of “El Rino.”
Mexico City, November 5 (However).- The Fiscal general of Michoacan, Carlos Torres Piñaannounced this Wednesday that there are clues that link to Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) with the murder of Mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguezwhich occurred last November 1.
In interview with The Financierthe official explained that the weapon used in the homicide is related to two previous attacks committed in that same city, which reinforces the line of investigation that points to the CJNG as the alleged responsible.
In statements to the media, the Prosecutor detailed that the first attack occurred on October 16, when two people were murdered, while the second took place on October 23 in a bar, where one victim lost his life and another was injured. In both cases, the victims were allegedly linked to a rival organization of the CJNG.
Torres Piña highlighted to the newspaper that one of the lines of investigation considers the possible connection between the murder of the Municipal President and the recent arrest of René Belmonte Aguilar, alias “El Rino”, designated as the regional leader of the cartel, by elements of the municipal police of Uruapan.
The Prosecutor indicated to The Financier that the Mayor widely publicized the arrest of “El Rino”, so it is not ruled out that this fact motivated the attack. However, he added that no hypothesis has been ruled out and that all lines of investigation remain open.
He also told the media that the 14 elements of the National Guard assigned to escort Carlos Manzo, as well as the eight municipal police officers in charge of his close security, have already testified before the Prosecutor’s Office.
The official recalled that, despite having publicly expressed concerns about his safety, the Mayor never filed a formal complaint with the State Prosecutor’s Office, so there are no complaints of threats against other mayors of Michoacán, including that of Pátzcuaro, who has also publicly stated that he has received intimidation.
Carlos Manzo had denounced in different spaces the violence that affected his community and had requested support from the federal government, headed by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, to reinforce security and contain the presence of organized crime in the region. However, on November 1, he was shot dead while participating in a public event.
Carlos Manzo is murdered, in the middle of the day of the dead. He got tired of asking Claudia Sheinbaum and the federal government for support. “WE DON’T WANT TO BE ONE MORE MAYOR KILLED.”
And they know it’s the worst. That in this country of impunity and drug corruption, we will never know the truth. 😢 pic.twitter.com/Mcbi0arDE2
— Jorge García Orozco (@jorgegogdl) November 2, 2025
Several videos circulate on social networks that captured the exact moment in which the Municipal President is shot dead during the Candle Festival, held on the esplanade of the Inmaculada of said town. These recordings show the moments of terror and confusion experienced after the attack.
A couple of months ago, in September, the Mayor of Uruapan shared a video on social networks to make an urgent call to the federal government with the aim of requesting the support of federal forces to combat organized crime.
The Michoacan president also urged the head of the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, to visit his municipality to learn first-hand about the situation of violence.
“They killed our president.”
They murdered the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo, who had demanded that President Claudia Sheinbaum go to the municipality. pic.twitter.com/SiyEjfKDg2
— Jorge Monroy 🇲🇽 (@gemonroy) November 2, 2025
“We do not want to be one more murdered Mayor who is in the statistics. We do not want more murdered police officers who are in the statistics. I ask that you urgently make a presence in Uruapan,” said Manzo.
Carlos Manzo insisted that it is the responsibility of the federal authorities to combat organized crime and warned that if the federal government did not reinforce security, the population of Uruapan would be exposed to being victims of crime.
Despite receiving support for his personal security, the Municipal President of Uruapan was shot dead during a public event held on Saturday, November 1.