On November 15, more than 17,000 citizens filled the streets of Mexico City to protest the current government of President Claudia Sheinbaum, leader of the Morena (National Regeneration Movement) Party. The ‘Gen Z Protest’, as was dubbed by media outlets and social media, was characterized with flags from the Japanese anime One Piece mirroring recent youth movements in Nepal and Indonesia.
However, the protests in Mexico are much different, initially protesting against cartel and drug violence, but later co-opted by members of the opposing right-wing PAN (National Action Party) and Mexican billionaire, Ricardo Salinas Pliego, who used the movement to attack the current federal government.
Outrage began when the Mayor of Uruapan, Carlos Manzo was assassinated at a public event for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1st. Manzo publicly spoke against cartels, corruption, and drug violence. He gained popularity across all of Mexico for confronting organized crime groups that have infested the state of Michoacán in Western Mexico. The assasination was carried out by a 17-year-old boy, who was said to have been under orders of the New Generation Jalisco Cartel, which has a major presence throughout the region.
Breaking point
Cartels have killed many other public figures who speak out against them, Manzo was the seventh Mayor to be killed in the region since 2022. More recently, Bernando Bravo, a leader of lime growers from Michoacán, was also found dead just two weeks earlier. Bravo publicly denounced organized crime groups for extorting farmers, stating that the demands of the cartels exceeded what they could produce.
Bravo had stated that the Morena government had made some advancements on combatting organized crime in the area, but their impunity had yet to be put to an end. Manzo’s death shortly after filled the country with indignation, with citizens across Mexico being fed up with the crisis of insecurity.
Protests erupted in various cities in the state, to which President Sheinbaum responded by outlining a new security plan for the region, “Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice”, which seeks to send federal agents and national troops to help state police.
In addition, the federal government plans to address the root causes of crime, by providing welfare, social programs, and better infrastructure for the state. Manzo consistently called out the President to help fight against organized crime in his region, pleading for stronger security for his city of Uruapan.
Growing concerns
Before the protests on November 15, Sheinbaum had publicly questioned the motives and interests behind the movement, stating,
“We agree with the freedom of expression and protest if there are young people who have demands, but the question here is: Who is promoting the protest?”
President Sheinbaum attributed the protests and social media discourse to a digital campaign by the PAN. The Mexican government has reported that Gen Z movement online is a strategic online strategy orchestrated by media mogul, Ricardo Salinas Pliego, and other members of the Mexican right-wing. Reportedly more than 90 million Mexican pesos (about 4.2 million euros) were invested into this digital campaign just in the last month and a half.
Nonetheless, various protests took place all around the country on November 15, with large crowds voicing their distress with insecurity against drug violence. Many protestors were shouting “Fuera Morena” (Morena out), demonstrating their disdain for Sheinbaum’s party and ascribing Manzo’s death as a fault of the government.
The protest in front of the National Palace, where Sheinbaum and the executive branch of Mexico is based, had various citizens with pictures of Manzo, and signs written with “we are not artificial intelligence” and “we are not bots”, in response to the President’s previous statements.
Violence broke out in the protests in the nation’s capital, culminating with 120 people injured, 100 of which were police, 40 of those being hospitalized, and 20 protestors arrested. While many social media figures withdrew their support of their protests in response to the violence, Salinas, and members of the PAN, such as Vicente Fox, have asserted their solidarity online.
Sheinbaum in the court of public opinion
Protests against Sheinbaum’s administration occur at a crucial moment, especially from the international perspective. With the Mexican president being declared a ‘Persona Non Grata’ in Peru for granting political asylum to a previous Peruvian Prime Minister.
Even with steady diplomatic relations with the United States, President Trump has not ceased to voice his concerns with drug cartels in Mexico. Threatening to send national troops across the border and potentially launching military strikes on drug factories in Northern Mexico. To which Sheinbaum responded,
“It’s not going to happen… The last time that the United States came into Mexico with an intervention they took half of the territory”
Sheinbam has an approval rate over 70% and remains an incredibly popular figure in her first year in office, although she continues to receive criticism for her handling of drug violence and corruption.
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