Mexico Arrests Head of Brainwashing Cartel Behind Uruapan Mayor's Murder
Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia announced the arrest of a leader suspected of leading a criminal cell linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most influential cartels in the country.
The man was arrested for allegedly ordering the murder of a mayor in the state of Michoacan.
Garcia in his post on the social media platform X, said a joint operation involving the police, special forces, and the military managed to arrest Ramon Angel, also known by the alias "El R1."
"Ramon Angel, alias El R1, who was identified as the mastermind behind the cowardly murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, was arrested after months of intelligence work and investigation," Garcia said via social media as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Friday, July 31.
Manzo's murder on November 1, 2025, during the Day of the Dead celebrations sparked outrage across Mexico.
The investigation led to the arrest of 31 people, including members of the cartel and the personal security personnel of the deceased mayor.
Angel is considered one of the high-ranking executors in the CJNG criminal structure as well as the leader of a special armed cell.
"El R1 was identified as the main leader of 'Los Rs', one of the most brutal criminal cells affiliated with the CJNG, which operates in Apatzingan, Uruapan and Morelia in Michoacan, as well as in Jalisco," Garcia said.
He said the Los Rs group was involved in extortion, murder, and drug trafficking.
Manzo's murder mobilized communities across Mexico to stage protests and made him a symbol of the political violence that has plagued the country, especially in states such as Michoacan, which have long been known as the base of criminal organizations.
During his tenure as mayor of Uruapan in Michoacan, an area that continues to be plagued by violence due to conflicts between criminal cartels and security forces, Manzo carried out a tough policy against organized crime by promising to free his territory from the influence of drug cartels.