Carlos Manzo’s widow asked to stop the acts of vandalism in Uruapan, Michoacán, after the murder of the mayor during the Candle Festival.
Mexico City, November 4 (However).- Greece Quirozwidow of the former mayor of Uruapan, Michoacan, Carlos Manzocalled this Monday for the demonstrations over the murder of his partner to be carried out peacefully, since in recent hours acts of vandalism have been carried out in repudiation of what happened against the mayor on November 1.
Through a video broadcast on the official TikTok account of Carlos Manzothe mayor’s ex-wife said that after the attack against her husband “things are happening that he would not have liked,” because his fight was not directed towards violent events, but she insisted on continuing to raise her voice about what happened during the attack. Candle Festival in the center of Uruapanwhere the official was attacked in broad daylight.
“We are going to demand and we are going to ask for justice for Carlos. This is not going to stay like this. However, I ask the citizens who are demonstrating in some parts of the city of Uruapan, who are falling into the issue of vandalism, I ask you as a favor, and in memory of Carlos, that we please do it peacefully, let’s do it in a civilized manner.”
@carlos_manzo_oficial
CALLING FOR THE PEOPLE OF URUAPAN!! #uruapan #news #carlosmanzo
In this sense, the widow asked to honor the memory of Carlos Manzo, explaining that he “was always against violence.” In addition, he pointed out the existence of groups that seek to take advantage of what happened, for which he reiterated his call not to affect third parties in Uruapan. “Do not demonstrate in a disorderly manner,” he said in the video broadcast on social networks.
Carlos Manzo, who was a local Deputy for Morena and then an independent Mayor, maintained a profile critical of organized crime and distant from traditional parties, which placed him in an uncomfortable position with various political actors. His murder is interpreted as a blow to those who have denounced the infiltration of crime in local governments.
Security authorities identified this Monday Osvaldo Gutiérrez Vázquez, alias “El Cuate”, as responsible for the murder, who was originally from the Miguel Hidalgo neighborhood, in Apatzingán, Michoacán, and had links with a man known as “El Prángana”, operator of the brothers Ramón and Rafael Álvarez Ayala, alias “R1” and “R2”, alleged members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The head of the Attorney General’s Office of Michoacán, Carlos Torres, released videos in which it was observed that the attacker of the former mayor went to the Candle Festival without security filters, in addition to revealing that the weapon used by the aggressor is a 9 millimeter pistol, so the aggressor belonged to organized crime.
The war against drugs? That didn’t work: Sheinbaum
For her part, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo regretted the murder of the Michoacan mayor on Sunday morning. He also offered to strengthen his National Security Strategy “to achieve peace.” Later, in his morning conference on Monday, he reflected deeply on the murder and complained about the behavior of his opponents, which he described as “vultures”, as this generated a wave of criticism against the strategy that his Government has implemented to combat insecurity and violence in the country.
“What does the right propose? The war on drugs? Let it return [Genaro] Garcia Luna? What do you propose? The intervention? That doesn’t lead anywhere. We are going to reinforce, yes, Michoacán and other states of the Republic, but strengthening presence, intelligence, zero impunity and attention to the causes,” he assured.
“Now, we cannot fail to mention this barrage from the right, from some commentators and drivers, or owners or dealers, rather. At no time did I hear a condolence to the family. But yes, like vultures,” Sheinbaum Pardo added during his morning press conference.
In that context, he asked what should be done to confront this problem that afflicts the country.
“Yesterday I said: ‘All the strength of the State’. The strength of the State is justice. There are those who ask, as happened with the war on drugs, militarization and war. That did not work. What’s more: it was what led to the situation of violence in Michoacán. The war on drugs? That did not work, on the contrary, it was what generated this violence that we are barely decreasing,” Sheinbaum said.
From the Treasury Room of the National Palace, he explained that Mexico was under this model during the six-year terms of Felipe Calderón Hinojosa and Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN), so until the arrival of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) to the Presidency in 2018 the strategy changed, where the priority “is attention to the causes and zero impunity, intelligence, investigation and judicialization.” “But the war against drugs, the extrajudicial executions, those led to nothing,” he reiterated.
“Six years of war against drugs, six years in which Peña set up, through a commissioner, self-defense forces. It did not work. And we are zero impunity and justice, and attention to the causes. Both. And at the same time, presence. Presence and intelligence, and justice. Social justice and also a true justice system, where a criminal can be detained or an alleged criminal can be detained and have a trial. The strengthening of justice institutions. Presence and intelligence,” he detailed the federal president.