The widow of Mayor Carlos Manzo, Grecia Quiroz (C), attends an event at the Congress of the city of Morelia in Michoacan, Mexico, on Wednesday. Quiroz took office as acting mayor of the town of Uruapan, in the state of Michoacan, western Mexico, and assured that her husband’s legacy of struggle and justice is “stronger than ever.” Photo by /Ivan Villanueva/EPA
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a program for Michoacán to strengthen security in the state through increased military and federal presence after the killing of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo and a wave of citizen demonstrations demanding urgent action against organized crime.
Manzo, who had declared a fierce offensive against crime, was shot to death Nov. 1 during a public event while surrounded by family members, sparking large protests in several cities.
The “Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice,” presented Sunday, includes more than 100 actions across three strategic pillars focused on security and justice, economic development and social development. The plan involves an investment of more than $3 billion.
Among the main measures are deploying more than 10,500 federal personnel in the state, strengthening state prosecutors’ offices and creating specialized anti-extortion units.
Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the economic strategy will be key to creating jobs, increasing productive investment and opening new opportunities in the state, Aristegui Noticias reported.
The package of proposed social programs for the state totals nearly $2 billion through 2026 and is expected to benefit about 1.5 million Michoacán residents.
Sheinbaum said she will review the plan’s progress every 15 days and make monthly reports public, calling it a commitment to “not betray the people’s trust.”
Security will be one of the central pillars of the plan. The National Public Security Strategy will be reinforced by addressing the causes of violence, expanding police training and strengthening the National Guard with new equipment and regional bases.
The “Paricutín” Operations Plan also will involve participation of the Army, Navy and National Guard, and the Anti-Extortion Unit will be expanded. In addition, a unified response protocol will be introduced and personnel staffing an anonymous tip line in Michoacán will receive training, according to the Mexican outlet Proceso.
Michoacán has long posed a security challenge for Mexican presidents. Several organized crime groups compete for control of territory considered a key corridor for drug trafficking and for chemical precursors used to produce fentanyl and methamphetamine, first within Mexico and later into the United States.
Avocado and lime producers — both strategic to the state’s economy — report extortion that has increased costs by 15% to 20%, straining businesses and transport operators. Although the state reports year-over-year declines in homicides in 2024 and 2025, high-impact crimes and cartel pressure continue to keep local authorities and residents on edge.
The Sheinbaum administration has shown a greater willingness to confront drug cartels than that of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, reflecting a shift toward more active intelligence operations, deportations and extraditions.
While López Obrador popularized the slogan “hugs, not bullets,” and prioritized social development programs as the basis of security policy, Sheinbaum is directing her strategy toward strengthening the rule of law.
Under her administration, Mexico has extradited more than 50 high-ranking cartel figures, increased pressure on fentanyl trafficking routes and announced more aggressive federal deployments.
