Mexican authorities arrest suspected gang leader accused of ordering mayor’s assassination

Mexico’s Security Minister Omar Garcia announced Thursday that the alleged leader of a criminal cell linked to the country’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has been arrested for ordering the assassination of a mayor in Michoacan state.

Garcia said in a post on the US social media platform X that a joint operation between police, special forces and the military resulted in the apprehension of Ramon Angel, also known as "El R1."

"Ramon Angel, alias 'El R1,' identified as the mastermind behind the cowardly murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, was arrested after months of intelligence and investigative work," Garcia said on social media.

The killing of Manzo on Nov. 1, 2025 during Day of the Dead festivities outraged the entire country and an investigation was launched that resulted in 31 arrests, including of cartel members and the late mayor's own security detail.

Angel is considered a high-ranking enforcer within the CJNG's criminal structure and the leader of a specialized armed cell.

"'El R1' is identified as the main leader of 'Los Rs,' one of the most violent criminal cells linked to the CJNG, operating in Apatzingan, Uruapan and Morelia, Michoacan, as well as in Jalisco," said Garcia.

The Los Rs group is linked to extortion, homicides and drug trafficking, he added.

Manzo's murder mobilized the entire country in a wave of protests and turned him into a symbol of the political violence that has gripped Mexico, particularly in states such as Michoacan, which have historically been strongholds for criminal organizations.

During his tenure as mayor of the city of Uruapan in Michoacan, a region mired in relentless violence between warring cartels and security forces, Manzo ran on a hardline platform against organized crime, promising to rid his municipality of the influence of drug cartels.