A federal investigation led to the capture of Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, known as “El R1”, identified as one of the main operators of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) in Michoacán and identified as the alleged intellectual author of the murder of the mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo.
The capture was confirmed by the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, who reported that the operation was carried out in Atotonilco, Jalisco, as a result of coordinated intelligence work between federal forces.
According to the investigations, “El R1” headed a criminal cell known as “Los R’s”, dedicated to activities such as extortion, homicide, kidnapping, drug dealing and drug trafficking in the region.
Ramón Ángel is designated by the authorities as one of the main regional commanders of the CJNG in Michoacán.
His name had previously been linked to various acts of violence and the coordination of criminal operations in the state.
According to authorities, he was also responsible for ordering attacks against officials and rival groups, in addition to controlling extortion activities against merchants and producers.
Federal investigations indicate that “El R1” was the one who ordered the murder of Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan, which occurred during a public event in November 2025.
According to the Prosecutor's Office and the Security Secretariat, the investigation made it possible to reconstruct the chain of command that led to the attack, identifying the material authors, logistics operators and finally the alleged mastermind. With this capture, there are 31 people detained in the case.
The arrest occurred after an operation led by federal forces in Jalisco. During the action, a confrontation took place with members of his security team, in which one of his bodyguards lost his life.
The authorities consider that the capture represents a significant blow against the operational structure of the CJNG in Michoacán, as it is one of the commanders responsible for coordinating criminal activities in that entity.
However, the Prosecutor's Office indicated that investigations continue to determine the participation of other members of the criminal organization and to completely clarify the network of collaborators who participated in the murder of Mayor Carlos Manzo.
