Mexico - November 2025

On 15 November, approximately 17,000 people participated in anti-government protests initially organized by Gen Z activists to draw attention to drug-related violence and corruption. Dissatisfaction had intensified following the 1 November assassination of Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan in Michoacán, after he urged authorities to take a tougher stance against organized crime. The government alleged that opposition parties and their supporters used bots to amplify calls for the protest, claiming the movement was not organic but opposition-driven. While the demonstrations began peacefully, reports indicated the use of violence by a small group of protesters, including criminals who exploited the unrest to loot businesses, as well as excessive use of force by police. Officials reported around 100 police officers and 20 protesters injured. Human rights organizations documented instances of police violence against journalists and urged authorities to refrain from language that stigmatizes protesters.

Sources: Proceso,  The Guardian, CBC, Al Jazeera, Cuarto Poder

On 12 November, President Claudia Sheinbaum presented an executive plan to combat sexual abuse. The plan, which would require some legislative changes, includes: standardizing the legal definition of sexual abuse as a serious crime; strengthening mechanisms to encourage women to report cases; enhancing training for prosecutors and public officials; and launching public awareness campaigns aimed at driving cultural change. During the announcement, President Sheinbaum referenced her own recent experience, in which a man groped her while she was speaking with citizens on the street—an incident that intensified public outrage over the country’s high rates of sexual and gender-based violence.

Sources: Gobierno de Mexico, El Pais, The Guardian