At least 120 people were injured in clashes during anti-government protests in Mexico City, including 100 police officers, police said.
Thousands of protesters marched in Mexico’s capital on Saturday. To protest violent crime and President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government.
Sheinbaum said the marches, which also took place in other cities, were funded by right-wing politicians opposed to his government.
The rally was organized by the Generation Z youth group and drew support from citizens protesting high-profile killings, including the assassination of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo just weeks ago, which had called for stronger action against cartels.
Protesters tore down part of the wall protecting the National Palace, where Sheinbaum lives. Police protecting the building used tear gas on the crowd.
Mexico City security chief Pablo Vazquez told reporters that authorities had arrested 20 people on suspicion of crimes including robbery and assault.
Protesters waved banners with the message “We are all Carlos Manzo,” while others wore cowboy hats in his memory.
Manzo was shot while attending Day of the Dead festivities on November 1.
He was known for speaking publicly about drug trafficking gangs and cartel violence in his town.
He has called for strong action against armed cartels that threaten the country.
Sheinbaum took action against the cartels but resisted calls for another all-out war on drugs. Previous attempts by her predecessors ended with bloody results.
Days before the march, the president said the protests were being promoted by online bots.
She said at the briefing, “I agree with freedom of expression and freedom of protest if there are young people demanding it, but the question here is who is encouraging the protests.”
“People need to know how this protest was organized so that no one is taken advantage of.”
Sheinbaum maintained an approval rating of over 70% even in his first year in office, and took the lead in cracking down on fentanyl trafficking, which is a major issue for U.S. President Donald Trump.
But she has been criticized for failing to stop the violence sweeping the country and has faced increasingly hostile attitudes from neighboring countries.
Earlier this month, the Peruvian Congress voted to declare Sheinbaum an unwelcome person, meaning he is not welcome in Peru.
The decision comes days after Peru severed diplomatic ties with Mexico and the Mexican government granted asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister accused of attempting a 2022 coup.
