The government of Mexico‘s President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced it would reinforce its military and official presence in the western state of Michoacan.
Sunday’s announcement follows outrage over the assassination of Carlos Manzo, mayor of the city of Uruapan in Michoacan who was vocal about tackling drug crime, on November 1.
“In recent days, we have seen pain and outrage over the cowardly murder of the mayor of Uruapan. We share that sentiment. His cowardly murder hurts all of Michoacan and the entire country,” Sheinbaum said while presenting the plan with her cabinet.
What do we know about the plan for Michoacan state?
One of the fundamental pillars of the Michoacan Plan for Peace and Justice is the reinforcement of the 10,300-strong military and national guard presence.
Sheinbaum said that nearly 2,000 additional security forces would be sent to the state on Monday under the plan.
The mission of the federal forces is to crack down on criminal groups, combat extortion and dismantle drug labs and training camps, officials said at the press conference.
The plan also includes social actions, such as scholarships for students and encouraging young people to participate in sports in order to prevent them from being recruited by crime.
The government will also bolster resources in sectors such as agriculture and tourism.
It would see the investment of 57 billion pesos ($3.10 billion, âĴ2.68 billion), Sheinbaum said.
Why did the murder of Uruapan’s mayor spark such outrage?
Carlos Manzo, mayor of the city of Uruapan in Michoacan, was killed at a public event during Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1. He had just handed his child to someone else when he was shot seven times by a hooded gunman.
Manzo had been an outspoken critic of the federal government for not doing more to confront organized crime.
He was the seventh mayor to be killed in the state since 2022, according to United Press International news agency.
Manzo’s murder sparked protests in his community and elsewhere, pressuring Sheinbaum’s government to act on a worsening security crisis.
How bad is cartel crime in Michoacan?
Michoacan’s location in the west of Mexico on the Pacific has helped it become a center for Mexico’s drug production and trafficking.
The state, with a population of 4.7 million, is a hub for the production of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine, heroin and cannabis.
Extortion of citrus and avocado producers is also a lucrative source of income for the cartels.
Citrus and avocado producers in Michoacan have for years denounced extortion, kidnappings and killings linked to cartel violence.
A leader of lime growers was killed in October after repeatedly denouncing extortion demands.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
