Headline Roundup • November 23rd, 2025
Mexico Sees Political Unrest as President Repeatedly Rejects US Military Involvement
The Americas,Latin America,Mexico,US Military,Claudia Sheinbaum,Drug Cartels,Defense Department,Defense And Security,Trump Administration
Summary from the AllSides News Team
At least 120 were injured in Mexico last weekend during nationwide protests that voiced dissatisfaction with rising violence and leftist President Claudia Sheinbaum's government.
The Details: A group dubbed "Generation Z Mexico" called for the protests via a "manifesto" circulated online that said it is a non-partisan group speaking on behalf of Mexican youth. The protests came after Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, an outspoken critic of cartel violence, was publicly murdered at a Day of the Dead event on November 1. In Mexico City, "a small group of hooded protesters tore down fences around the National Palace where President Claudia Sheinbaum lives, prompting a clash with riot police," according to Reuters (Center bias).
Right-Wing Op?: Mexican state-funded media outlet Infodemia claimed the protests were astroturfed by Mexican political opposition, wealthy oligarchs, and influencers. In the days leading up to the protests, Sheinbaum accused the Generation Z movement of being infiltrated by right-wing social media bots and said, "It is a movement promoted from abroad against the government."
US Involvement: Since President Trump took office, the US has suggested the idea of military involvement in Mexico multiple times, though Sheinbaum has rejected the idea. In August, Trump reportedly signed a directive to start using military force against certain Latin American drug cartels. Sheinbaum said at the time, "We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out." Earlier this month, the Trump administration was reportedly planning a mission with US military and intelligence personnel to target drug cartels operating inside Mexico. On November 17, Trump said he was "OK" with US strikes on Mexican cartels, but Sheinbaum said, "It's not going to happen." Also on November 17, American soldiers mistakenly infringed on Mexican territory, leading the Defense Department to cite topographical "confusion."
For Context: In recent months, the US has increased military involvement in Latin America, destroying several alleged "drug boats" and floating the idea of war with Venezuela.
How The Media Covered It: Many mainstream outlets covered the protests last weekend when they happened and Sheinbaum's rejection of US strikes on targets in Mexico later in the week. ZeroHedge (Lean Right) framed the protests as a "populist revolt" and described Sheinbaum's Morena party as one that "aligns ideologically with far-left US politicians." The Grayzone (Left) said the unrest was backed by "an international right-wing network determined to topple the popular President Claudia Sheinbaum" and "bore many of the hallmarks of a US-sponsored color revolution."
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Featured Coverage of this Story
The Grayzone
Violent demonstrations which erupted in over 50 cities across Mexico on November 15 were secretly financed and coordinated by an international right-wing network and amplified by bot networks, a new report by public fact-checking platform Infodemia has concluded.
Those findings were amplified by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has questioned what role Mexico's cartel-linked opposition parties and foreign meddling may have played in inflaming so-called "Gen Z" protests on November 15. The demonstrations left around 120 people injured – over 100 of them police officers, according to a statement from...
Thousands protested across Mexico on Saturday under the banner of "Generation Z," denouncing rising violence after the public killing of an anti-crime mayor earlier this month.
In Mexico City, a small group of hooded protesters tore down fences around the National Palace where President Claudia Sheinbaum lives, prompting a clash with riot police who deployed tear gas, according to Reuters witnesses.
Chaos erupted in front of Mexico's National Palace in Mexico City on Saturday after anti-corruption protests turned violent following the recent cartel murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo. Protesters are furious with leftist President Claudia Sheinbaum, while the government blames right-wing business interests for stoking the unrest.
Reuters reports that 120 people and 100 police officers were injured outside the National Palace when a large group of anti-government protesters led by Gen Zers clashed with Sheinbaum's security forces.
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