Thousands of young people filled Mexico City’s streets on Saturday during a nationwide protest against corruption and escalating violence. Demonstrators marched from the Angel of Independence toward the Zócalo, where clashes broke out and injured more than 120 people, including 20 civilians and over 100 police officers. Authorities detained around 20 participants after the unrest.
Generation Z activists coordinated simultaneous marches in 52 Mexican cities and in countries including the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany. Organizers presented the movement as a collective call for justice from a generation that feels ignored and endangered. A peaceful mobilization quickly turned volatile in the nation’s political heart.
The murder of Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan, on 1 November ignited the protests. Criminal groups targeted Manzo after he repeatedly demanded federal action against Michoacán’s rampant violence. His killing became the catalyst for widespread youth anger aimed at institutions they consider corrupt, unresponsive, and complicit through inaction.
The march united students, rural workers, families, and political dissidents who shared a deep frustration with Mexico’s security crisis. Mexico City Security Secretary Pablo Vázquez confirmed the number of injured individuals and arrests linked to the violence. He announced that authorities are collaborating with the Attorney General’s Office to identify everyone involved in criminal acts during the demonstration.
Confrontation Erupts at the National Palace
The march progressed peacefully until reaching the Zócalo. A group identified as the “black bloc” forced its way to the front and struck the fences protecting the National Palace with hammers and stones. The barriers collapsed under the blows, triggering a direct confrontation with police officers. Security forces responded with tear gas and fire extinguishers to disperse the attackers and regain control of the square.
Sixty officers received treatment at the scene, while emergency teams transported 40 more to nearby hospitals. Four officers required specialized care but remained in stable condition. Paramedics also treated 20 civilians at the site of the clashes.
Authorities arrested several individuals for aggressive behavior, and others face administrative charges. Investigators continue reviewing footage and testimonies to identify all participants who caused damage or injuries.
President Claudia Sheinbaum, speaking from Tabasco, urged demonstrators to maintain peaceful demonstrations. She condemned violence as a method for change and claimed that “very few young people” took part in the march, despite the large crowd clearly visible throughout Mexico City.
Movement Pushes Civic Demands and Joins Global Wave
Mexico’s Generation Z movement describes itself as civic-minded, non-partisan, and born from collective exhaustion. Its message rejects political polarization with the declaration: “We are neither left nor right; we are the generation tired of bowing our heads.”
Before the national march, the group released a 12-point civic platform under the slogan “Because we are not for any party. We are for Mexico.” Their proposals include:
- A recall process driven entirely by citizens, independent from regular elections.
- Direct voting to elect replacements in recall situations.
- A strict prohibition on party involvement in recall and replacement procedures.
- Stronger autonomous institutions guided by independent citizen councils.
- Comprehensive justice reforms to ensure swift, reliable judicial processes.
- Anti-corruption efforts based on citizen audits with full public transparency.
- Demilitarization of public security, supported by local oversight systems.
- Full visibility of public budgets and spending decisions.
- Increased access to education and employment for young citizens.
- Affordable housing policies and urgent measures against gentrification.
- Inclusion of respected, non-partisan public figures in civic councils.
- A public consultation allowing citizens to expand the petition to 15 demands.
This surge of youth activism mirrors a global pattern. Similar Generation Z movements have emerged in Nepal, Mongolia, Togo, Madagascar, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Young people, fluent in digital platforms, use TikTok, Instagram, and X to organize independently of traditional media.
Their motivations echo across borders: dissatisfaction with governments, economic strain, declining living conditions, persistent corruption, and restricted opportunities. In places like Nepal, these youth-led movements have even toppled ruling governments. In Mexico, the movement seeks a profound redefinition of governance, demanding a political system that finally listens to — and acts for — the generation inheriting the country’s future.
