Journalism of Courage
Thousands of protesters marched into Mexico City on Saturday against growing crime, corruption and impunity in President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government and the rally was organised by Gen Z youth groups, which received backing from older supporters of the opposition parties, AP reported.
President Sheinbaum, however, defended her government and said the demonstrations which took place in other cities were sponsored by right-wing politicians who oppose her government. Mexican police used tear gas on the crowd as they damaged parts of a barrier protecting the National Palace, where President Sheinbaum resides, BBC reported.
During the massive protest on Saturday, demonstrators displayed banners which had a message saying “We are all Carlos Manzo”, while some other protesters wore cowboy hats in a tribute to him. Manzo was shot dead on November 1 as he attended a Day of the Dead festival. He was reportedly known for his stance against drug cartels and had urged military action against those who smuggle drugs and terrorise Mexicans.
In 2025, several countries have witnessed protests organised by specific members of a demographic, especially those born in the 1990s and early 2010s against inequality, democratic backsliding and corruption. The largest Gen Z protest took place in Nepal this year, where the country’s prime minister had to resign after the government placed a ban on social media.
President Sheinbaum, ahead of the demonstrations, had said that the march was being promoted by bots online. “We agree with freedom of expression and freedom of demonstration if there are young people who have demands, but the issue here is who is promoting the demonstration,” the Mexican president said.
(with inputs from AP)
