Thousands join pro-government march led by Mexico's president after opposition demonstration

Hundreds of thousands of individuals joined a demonstration in Mexico City on Sunday in support of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. 

"Mexico is no longer run by oligarchy, now there is a democratic system whose priority is the poor," the president told people crowding the vast Zocalo square in Mexico City. 

Supporters of ALMO’s Morena Party from all over the country traveled to Mexico’s capital to join the march and meet the 69-year-old president. 

¡Gracias! pic.twitter.com/GCVlMYFosd

— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) November 28, 2022

"The president is from a humble background. He's done a lot of social programs," said Teresa Magana, who traveled more than 12 hours from Tabasco, the president's home state, to join. "We want him to continue."

After delivering the opening speech, the president led the march through the city’s Reforma Avenue, accompanied by live mariachi musicians and several performances. 

The “people’s march” marks the president’s fourth year as head of state and comes two weeks after an opposition group protested throughout the city to oppose Lopez Obrador’s proposal to reform the country’s electoral system.

According to AMLO, his proposal will improve democracy, limit the influence of politics in the economy, and cut advertising time. However, opponents fear the change could lead to a power grab. 

 "Effective suffrage, effective democracy, and no to re-election," AMLO said in a speech after the march.