Introduction to the New Plan
On Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled the Plan Michoacán por la Paz y la Justicia, a 57,000 million peso program aimed at reversing violence, corruption, and institutional abandonment in the state. The announcement came just days after the assassination of Uruapan’s municipal president, Carlos Manzo, and serves as an urgent response to the loss of territorial control.
The Plan’s Components
Comprising 12 axes and over 100 actions, the plan seeks to address the root causes of Michoacán’s problems: poverty, lack of opportunities, and institutional decay. It offers federal presence, infrastructure investment, social programs, indigenous justice, and protection for women and youth. President Sheinbaum describes it as an integral and humane plan, where peace is achieved through justice rather than force.
Previous Attempts and Their Failures
Since 2006, Michoacán has been a testing ground for various strategies. Calderón launched the Joint Operation with the Army; Peña Nieto introduced his Plan Michoacán with a federal commissioner; López Obrador focused on the National Guard and social programs. None managed to restore governance or curb organized crime. Homicide, extortion, and disappearance rates confirm each attempt’s failure.
New Plan Features
The new plan repeats some patterns, such as deploying over 10,500 soldiers and national guards. However, it introduces novelties: attention to victims, combating extortion, preventing child recruitment, and justice for indigenous people. It also includes political innovations: quinzennial supervision by the president and public monthly reports.
Challenges Ahead
The reality remains complex. Michoacán faces a municipal collapse: threatened mayors, infiltrated police, and communities no longer recognizing state authority. Without deep purging, resources will end up in the hands of those fueling violence.
Funding and Corruption Concerns
It’s unclear if the funds are new or reallocated. The history of corruption in public works and social programs is long. Criminal groups know how to infiltrate contracts, municipalities, and rural cooperatives. Despite this, the plan has merits: it aims to reconstruct social fabric and invest in health, education, employment, and culture.
Critics’ Perspectives
Many critics argue the plan was hastily designed, a rapid response to Manzo’s assassination rather than an anticipated strategy. Born of urgency rather than planning, it risks repeating the cycle of improvisations that sank previous plans. President Sheinbaum has staked her political capital on this bet, and her quinzennial follow-up will be a personal accountability measure. Failure would not only harm Michoacán but also undermine the national security project built on the discourse of peace with justice.
Michoacán as a Testing Ground for Peace
Once again, Michoacán becomes a peace laboratory. The question remains: has the government learned from its mistakes, or will violence once more prove that plans change while underlying causes remain?
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the new plan for Michoacán? The Plan Michoacán por la Paz y la Justicia is a 57,000 million peso program addressing violence, corruption, and institutional abandonment through federal presence, infrastructure investment, social programs, indigenous justice, and protection for women and youth.
- Why was this plan created? The plan was announced in response to the assassination of Uruapan’s municipal president, Carlos Manzo, and the loss of territorial control in Michoacán.
- What are the plan’s unique features? The plan includes attention to victims, combating extortion, preventing child recruitment, justice for indigenous people, quinzennial presidential supervision, and public monthly reports.
- What challenges does the plan face? Michoacán faces a municipal collapse, with threatened mayors, infiltrated police, and communities no longer recognizing state authority. Corruption concerns also loom large.
- What do critics say about the plan? Critics argue the plan was hastily designed and lacks strategic foresight, risking repetition of previous plans’ failures.
