Carlos Manzo Rodríguez, mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán, earned the nickname “the Mexican Bukele” due to his firm speech against crime and the security policies that he promoted during his administration. His direct style and his insistence on applying a “firm hand” against organized crime made many They will compare him with the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.
From the beginning of his administration, Manzo publicly expressed his position on the insecurity that afflicted Uruapan. In one of his most memorable messages he declared:
“Criminals who are found who are armed, who resist arrest or who attack citizens… they must be shot down, there must be no consideration for them.”
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These words, spoken forcefully, They marked a before and after in the public perception of the president. His message recalled the zero tolerance policies promoted by Bukele in El Salvador, where the president waged a frontal war against gangs.
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Security actions
During his government, Carlos Manzo implemented visible measures to reinforce local security. Destination more than 50 million pesos to acquire patrols and armored vehicles, in addition to promoting incentives for municipal agents, with the purpose of strengthening the corporation and promoting honest work in accordance with the law.
These actions, along with his direct style, reinforced the comparison with Nayib Bukele, whose administration is also characterized by its focus on police equipment, territorial control and the visible presence of the State in the streets.
The origin of the nickname “the Mexican Bukele”
The media and citizens began to refer to Manzo as “the Mexican Bukele” due to the similarities in their speech and their way of governing. However, He himself came to distance himself from that label.
“I am not the Mexican Bukele, but I am 100 percent the Michoacan hat,” he stated in an interview, highlighting his local identity and his commitment to the population of Uruapan.
Despite his refusal to compare himself with the Salvadoran president, the similarity in his narrative and his political decisions made him a unique figure within the municipal panorama in Mexico.
A controversial and popular leadership
Manzo came to power as independent candidate, a decision that allowed it to maintain autonomy from political parties. His management was recognized by a part of the population who saw in him a determined leader, willing to face violence with determination. However, it also generated criticism for its rhetoric considered excessively harsh.
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His tragic death, which occurred during a celebration in the main square of Uruapan, shocked the country and left an administration that had captured national attention on hold. The figure of Carlos Manzo remains associated with his bravery, his direct way of governing and the inevitable comparisons with Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran president who transformed the concept of “iron fist” into a leadership style.
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