Thousands of pink-clad protesters took to the streets in Mexico and abroad on Sunday in what they called a “march for democracy” against the country’s ruling party ahead of the June 2 elections. The protests were organized by opposition parties and aimed to advocate for free and fair elections in Mexico while also criticizing corruption within the government.
The same day, Claudia Sheinbaum, the favorite in the presidential election polls, officially announced her candidacy for the ruling Morena party. Sheinbaum is widely seen as the successor to the popular President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has been credited with ousting the country’s elite parties from power in 2018 and is seen as a representative of the working class.
However, López Obrador has faced criticism for steps that have been seen as endangering democracy. Last year, he cut funding for the National Electoral Institute, which is responsible for organizing elections, and weakened oversight of campaign spending. This move has raised concerns about the integrity of the democratic process in Mexico, with protesters adopting the agency’s color, pink, as a symbol.
In Mexico City, thousands of people dressed in pink gathered at the city’s main square, chanting “López out” and carrying signs that read “the power of the people is greater than the people with power.” Among the opposition organizations that participated in the march were the National Civic Front, Sí por México, Poder Ciudadano, Sociedad Civil México, UNE México, and Unidos por México.
The protests extended to a hundred cities throughout Mexico and also took place in cities in the United States and Spain. Despite the protests, Sheinbaum remains the frontrunner in the presidential race, leading the polls with a significant 64% over her closest competitor, Xóchitl Gálvez, who holds 31% of the preferences.
López Obrador criticized the demonstrations during a news conference, questioning whether the organizers truly cared about democracy. He accused them of calling for the return of corruption, despite their claims to be advocating for democracy.
In the midst of the protests and growing political tension, the June 2 elections in Mexico will be closely watched to determine the future of the country’s leadership and democracy.