Mexico faces rising violence against municipal authorities

Organized crime groups in Mexico are increasingly targeting municipal governments through threats, assassinations, and infiltration to control local resources and intelligence. Data from México Evalúa and Data Cívica indicates that approximately 77.9% of political-criminal aggressions recorded between 2021 and 2024 targeted municipal actors. Criminal organizations seek to influence local authorities, police, and sectors such as public works and transit to ensure impunity and exploit local economies.

In a specific development related to these security challenges, federal forces have detained 33 individuals allegedly linked to the murder of former Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo. Omar García Harfuch, head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, identified Ramón Álvarez, known as “el R1”, as the alleged mastermind behind the crime. The investigation revealed that the group included individuals responsible for monitoring the mayor and even staff members who allegedly leaked information to the criminals.