In Mexico, in the city of Uruapan, the mayor Carlos Manzo was assassinated. The crime occurred during a cultural festival in the main square.
The assassination of Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán, took place in the early morning hours of November 2, 2025, during the "Festival of the Velas" in the city's main square. This crime is a source of indignation and shame for the entire country.
Since his time at a Jesuit university, Manzo showed a deep commitment to social justice and to a politics founded on ethics, service, and dignity. As a public figure, Carlos Manzo was known for his tough stance against organized crime and for practicing politics with independence and integrity.
According to preliminary information, after the attack, one assailant was killed and two were detained. Federal authorities have begun an investigation, reviewing video footage and tracking data through the C-5 system. However, the 389 signatories of the communiqué demand that the investigation not be limited to mere gestures, but be thorough, public, and independent, establishing responsibility at all levels—from the material authors to those who ordered, financed, or facilitated the attack.
The 389 signatory academics state: "Violence robs us of our country, robs us of politics, and robs us of those who practice it with ethics." They express solidarity with the family of Carlos Manzo, the residents of Uruapan, and all communities living under the constant threat of organized crime.
"We demand concrete accountability and real deadlines," the statement says. The academics also call for an immediate review of security mechanisms for public officials and social leaders.
This assassination adds to a chain of impunity with zero convictions in the murders of nine mayors across the country. Manzo's death, which made him an "inconvenient" public figure, once again exposes the fragility of protection strategies and the normalization of political violence in Mexico.
"We will not accept lukewarm responses or rituals of solidarity that serve only as political spectacles. Democratic politics requires courage and guarantees," the statement concludes.
"We will not allow the assassination of Carlos Manzo to be relegated to the dustbin of media or official communiqués without consequences. We demand clear answers, effective sanctions, and truth for society."
