President Claudia Sheinbaum denied that there was any repression against attendees of the march called by 'Generation Z' on Saturday, November 16th, which resulted in violent incidents in Mexico City, leaving 20 civilians and 100 police officers injured.
During her morning conference at the National Palace, she stated that she had requested the prosecutor of Mexico City, Bertha Alcalde Luján, to investigate who is responsible for the violence. 'There are many videos on social networks,' she said. She urged 'not to fall into provocation' and indicated that although the march was promoted as an organic youth mobilization, there are indications of external and political funding.
Sheinbaum pointed out that during the march, a 'violent group' arrived at the country's main square with 'files, pry bars, hammers' to break the welding of the fence installed in front of the National Palace. 'What was their objective? To tear down the fence that we had put up precisely to prevent confrontations between these groups that have marched in recent mobilizations, but who were now better prepared,' she detailed.
The president emphasized that this group faced the police for hours, and their action was not aimed at reaching the National Palace, but at attacking the capital's police. 'This very violent group that came with material to break the fence, after an hour of pulling on it, breaks the fence and they don't even reach the National Palace, but instead launch themselves against the police in a very violent way. Those are the scenes. Mexicans do not want violence. And if there is any legitimate and justified [protest], then we must listen to the youth. We must not fall into provocation, let alone violence,' she stressed.
Sheinbaum also referred to the call for a new march on November 20th, when asked if there would be a civic parade. 'We will see how these days unfold,' she said, while calling for an end to violence.
Regarding the police's actions and the dissemination of images on social media, the president stated that it is up to the institution itself to review possible abuses. She highlighted the intensity of the attacks received by the officers, including female police officers, and emphasized that the officers were only equipped with shields and did not carry batons. 'Because in the campaign there are international accounts, many foreign accounts from Spain, the United States, Latin America, from many countries mounting this narrative that in Mexico, young people are being repressed,' she affirmed.
Additionally, she noted that the coverage of the march was heavily promoted by a television station, alluding to TV Azteca owned by Ricardo Salinas Pliego, which broadcast the entire route and said it contributed to fueling the mobilization.
'But this violence? Mexico does not repress young people. We must not fall into provocation,' the president stated.
Sheinbaum also claimed that most of the participants did not correspond to the so-called 'Generation Z' and linked them to the 'Pink Tide' marches during the 2024 electoral process. 'We saw very familiar faces of those who marched with the 'Pink Tide' and who called for the 'Pink Tide'. Many adults, few young people,' she said.
She also shared a phrase spoken by the national leader of the National Action Party (PAN), Jorge Romero Herrera, in an interview with Radio Fórmula, in which he said: 'What the opposition is literally missing is violence.' While the head of state only transmitted this phrase, in the original interview, Romero clarified by adding 'if someone from the opposition is going to decide it,' referring to the Mexican opposition being in front of 'a person who is two meters tall with a bat.'
Regarding media coverage and social media posts, Sheinbaum said the goal is to generate a false narrative. 'They were intellectuals, there were politicians. On the contrary: we give them scholarships, we give them schools, jobs. They promoted the idea that they were young people, in an organic way, calling for this march called 'Generation Z'. No matter how complex the situation is. Because what they are looking for is these images of repression. And one must not fall into provocation. But here it was shown how, in reality, there was an impulse of close to 90,000,000 pesos promoting this mobilization from the opposition, on one hand, and also with the support of a businessman. We do not repress.'
