Mexican officials announced on Wednesday the arrest of the man believed to have masterminded the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, a prominent anti-crime figure who was gunned down earlier this month. Security Minister Omar García Harfuch confirmed that the suspect, identified as Jorge Armando “N,” nicknamed “El Licenciado,” is allegedly tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
According to García Harfuch, the suspect oversaw a criminal cell that used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate the mayor’s surveillance, stalk his movements, and execute the attack. The minister described the capture as a “critical move in weakening the criminal network” behind the murder, but cautioned that further inquiries are still underway.
Manzo was killed on November 1 during a Day of the Dead observance. The attack was carried out by a 17-year-old, Víctor Manuel Ubaldo Vidales, who authorities say was recruited by the CJNG. The teenage assailant was fatally shot shortly after the shooting.
The mayor had governed a city deeply affected by organized crime and was outspoken in his crackdown on cartels. In the weeks before his death, he had reportedly requested enhanced security from both federal and state authorities.
The killing sparked widespread outrage, with thousands taking to the streets in Mexico City last Saturday. Demonstrators, wearing sombreros and holding placards, called for justice and condemned the escalating cartel violence and government corruption.
Official data shows that since the start of 2025, seven mayors across various Mexican states have been assassinated.