Mexican police have apprehended a man believed to be the orchestrator of the assassination of Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan, who was gunned down on November 1 during a public Day of the Dead event. Manzo, a vocal opponent of cartel violence in Michoacán, was shot seven times in front of his family, sparking widespread protests across the country. Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced the arrest, linking the suspect, Jorge Amando, alias ‘The Graduate,’ to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). According to García Harfuch, Amando allegedly ordered the attack via WhatsApp, instructing his men to open fire despite the crowded setting. Manzo had been a prominent critic of cartel extortion targeting avocado growers in the region and had called on President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to take stronger action against the cartels. The CJNG, known for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extortion, is notorious for targeting public officials who resist their influence. The assassination has intensified public outrage, with protests erupting in Mexico City, where demonstrators carried banners declaring ‘we are all Carlos Manzo.’ The arrest marks a significant step in dismantling the criminal networks responsible for the violence, though the broader struggle against cartel dominance in Michoacán remains a pressing challenge.