President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled Plan Michoacán for Peace and Justice on Sunday, a sweeping 57-billion-peso (US $3.1 billion) initiative aimed at curbing violence and fostering development in one of Mexico’s most volatile states. Announced at the National Palace alongside Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla and federal cabinet members, the plan outlines a 12-point strategy with over 100 specific actions, marking what Sheinbaum described as a “comprehensive and humane” approach to security.
Nearly 2,000 additional troops will be deployed to Michoacán as part of the “Paricutín Operations Plan,” led by Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo. The goal, he said, is to prevent extortion, reduce homicides, and block the movement of criminal groups through coordinated operations with neighboring states. In total, more than 10,500 members of the army, air force, and National Guard will participate, supported by helicopters, drones, and anti-drone systems.
Navy Minister Raymundo Morales announced that 1,800 navy personnel will conduct land and sea operations along the coast, particularly in Lázaro Cárdenas, Aquila, and Coahuayana, to combat maritime drug trafficking and dismantle synthetic drug labs.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez emphasized that the plan was developed through consultations with residents and community leaders. Its 12 core pillars include security, economic development, infrastructure, health care, education, support for women and youth, cultural investment, and justice for Indigenous communities. Starting next week, federal representatives will visit municipalities “house by house” to deliver assistance and monitor progress.
Sheinbaum stressed that this initiative differs from Felipe Calderón’s militarized “war on drugs,” asserting that “peace is not imposed with force.” She committed to personally reviewing Plan Michoacán’s progress every 15 days and reporting publicly each month.
The plan follows the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo on Nov. 1, which reignited national outrage over insecurity. Governor Ramírez, whose own father was murdered in Uruapan decades ago, vowed that the state government would invest an additional 2.7 billion pesos in complementary programs. “We must end this violence — but not with more violence,” he said. “It’s time to turn pain into collective action.”