Thousands of people marched through the streets of Mexico City this Saturday (15th) to protest the violence and security policies of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.
This demonstration was called for through social media by representatives of Generation Z (those under 28 years old).
Many participants in the march, which covered important thoroughfares in the center of the capital, wore hats similar to those worn by Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in the western state of Michoacán who was killed on November 1 and was famous for chasing down criminals on his patrol and even from a helicopter.
On Friday, Manzo’s widow and current Uruapan mayor, Grecia Quiroz, separated the Hat Movement, founded by the slain mayor, from this Saturday’s march.
Scheinbaum on Thursday questioned the call for mobilization, calling it “inorganic and paid” at a morning press conference.
“This is also an impulse from abroad against the government,” the president added.
Posters with messages such as “We are all Carlos Manzo” were displayed next to pirate flags representing the Japanese manga One Piece, which has become a symbol of youth protests around the world.
Demonstrators went to Mexico’s National Palace, where Sheinbaum lives and works, and tore down part of the metal fence protecting the building in the Zocalo, the country’s most important public square.
Police officers guarding the venue used fire extinguishers to subdue protesters who were attacking the bar. They also fired tear gas.
“This is how you should have protected Carlos Manzo,” some demonstrators shouted at the security forces.
Hundreds of youths threw projectiles at police, who responded by using shields and throwing objects at protesters.
“This is the first time civilians have participated in a march supporting violence,” Raul Cortes, 52, a civil servant, told AFP news agency.
Mr. Sheinbaum, who has been in power since October 1, 2024, had an approval rating of over 70% in his first year in office, but has faced criticism over his security policies, mainly due to high-profile murders in Michoacán state.
Manzo’s killing joins that of Bernardo Bravo, a leader of lemon growers in the same agricultural area who was shot dead in late October.
Mr. Bravo has reported being a victim of extortion, and Mr. Sheinbaum has acknowledged his failure to curb the crime.
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