Mexico’s anti-Sheinbaum demonstrations over mayor’s murder and security instability

image source, Getty Images

- author, Ruth Comerford and Ethirajan Anbarasan;
- author title, international correspondent
54 minutes

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Mexico City to protest criminal violence and President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.

The rally was called by a group of “Gen Z” youth and also received support from citizens demanding answers to high-profile murders, including that of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo several weeks ago. He called for a tough stance against cartels.

Mr. Sheinbaum claimed that the marches, which also took place in other cities, were funded by right-wing politicians opposed to his government.

On Saturday, demonstrators removed part of the fence protecting the president’s National Palace, and police guarding the grounds used tear gas against demonstrators.

demonstrators join the march "for peace" Generation Z organized against the government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Guadalajara.

Some demonstrators paid homage to the mayor of Uruapan, waving banners with slogans such as “We are all Carlos Manzo,” and wearing cowboy hats in memory of the mayor. Manzo was shot and killed on November 1 while attending a Day of the Dead celebration.

He was known to publicly denounce the presence of drug cartels in his municipality and the violence they cause. He called for tough measures to be taken against armed members of criminal organizations plaguing the country, without resorting to half-measures.

Protesters try to tear down a fence during a demonstration against the government of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Plaza Zocalo.

President Sheinbaum has acted against the cartels but has resisted launching what would be a new frontal war on drugs. Similar efforts by his predecessors ended in bloody events.

Days before the march, the president asserted that the demonstrations were being facilitated by bots on the internet. At a press conference, he declared, “I agree with freedom of expression and demonstrations if there are young people with demands, but the question here is who is promoting the demonstrations.” “People need to know how this protest was organized so that no one is taken advantage of.”

People try to tear down the fence protecting the National Palace in Zocalo Square.

In his first year in office, Mr. Sheinbaum maintained an approval rating of over 70% and made progress in the fight against fentanyl trafficking, an important issue for the United States.

But it has been criticized for failing to stem the violence plaguing the country and facing growing hostility from neighboring countries. Peru’s Congress passed Sheinbaum’s persona non grata declaration this month, days after Peru severed diplomatic relations with Mexico by granting asylum to a former Peruvian president accused of a 2022 coup attempt.