The Mexican government announced that the leader of the violent criminal group “Los Rs,” a branch of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), believed to have ordered the assassination of the Mayor of Uruapan City, Ramón Ángel, has been captured.
On Thursday, Mexico’s Minister of Security, Omar García, posted on social media that in a joint operation involving the police, special forces, and military, Ramón Ángel, also known as “El R1,” has been apprehended.
According to Garcia’s post, “After months of intelligence gathering and investigation, the mastermind behind the heinous murder of Uruapan City Mayor Carlos Manzo has finally been brought to justice.”
García stated that “El R1” is identified as the head of the Mexican violent criminal group “Los Rs,” operating in Apatzingan, Uruapan, Morelia, and the state of Jalisco.
García added that “Los Rs” are involved in extortion, murder, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities. At least 31 individuals have been arrested in connection to this case, including members of drug trafficking organizations and Manzo’s own security personnel, including a 17-year-old believed to have shot the mayor.
Following Manzo’s assassination, his wife Gracia Quiroz assumed the position of Mayor of Uruapan.
Manzo had publicly criticized the federal government for its inaction on the crime issues in Michoacán. He took a hard stance against organized crime and vowed to eradicate gang-related crimes.
Manzo was fatally shot during the Day of the Dead celebration on November 1, 2025, leading to large-scale protests in Uruapan and several cities. The public took to the streets with white flowers and banners to mourn, blaming the government for failing to curb gang violence.
Michoacán is a key region for avocado production, but has long been plagued by drug cartels and gang violence. Local farmers are often extorted by violent criminal groups.
In response to public outrage over deteriorating security, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum declared federal intervention to maintain order after Manzo’s assassination, unveiling a tough plan to combat gang crimes.
The measures include deploying over 10,500 federal security forces to Michoacán, targeting extortion networks and local gangs linked to cross-state drug trafficking organizations, and setting up checkpoints and temporary command posts in high-risk areas to address the issue of violence.