President Sheinbaum announces massive security operation and 57-billion-peso investment as cartel violence claims another prominent victim in the volatile state.
MEXICO CITY – In a decisive response to escalating cartel violence, the Mexican government is launching a major security crackdown in Michoacán, deploying over 10,500 security forces to confront criminal organizations following the brazen assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo.
President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled the comprehensive “Michoacán Plan for Peace and Justice” on Sunday, detailing a strategy that combines military deployment with significant social investment. The operation comes just two weeks after Manzo was gunned down during Day of the Dead festivities—a shocking murder that highlighted the government’s struggle to control organized crime in the volatile region.
“The people of Michoacán deserve peace, and we are making a special effort to achieve it,” Sheinbaum declared at the National Palace, flanked by senior cabinet members including Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
The multi-pronged approach includes:
- Deployment of army, air force and National Guard personnel
- Aerial surveillance using helicopters, aircraft and drones
- 57 billion pesos in combined security and social investment
- Reinforcement of state police and judicial institutions
- Economic programs targeting agriculture, tourism and employment
The assassination of Mayor Manzo, who had been openly critical of federal security policies, has become a rallying point for the new offensive. His wife, Grecia Quiroz, has since been sworn in as mayor, vowing to continue her husband’s work against the criminal groups that have terrorized the region.
Michoacán’s lucrative agricultural sector, particularly avocado and lime production, has been paralyzed by extortion and violence, with industry leader Bernardo Bravo becoming another high-profile victim just last month. The new security plan represents the government’s most aggressive attempt yet to break the cartels’ grip on the state’s economy and communities.
