Mayor joins legal fight against independent candidacy reforms

Uruapan Mayor Grecia Quiroz García has joined a legal challenge against reforms that she argues hinder independent candidacies in Michoacán. The reforms, pushed by the state's governor, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, are seen by Quiroz and her supporters as a direct blow to citizens seeking to run for office without party affiliation.

Accompanied by prominent activist Julián LeBaron and a contingent from the Independent Hat Movement, Quiroz García presented a brief to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. She argued that the legislation specifically targets independent aspirants, restricting their ability to organize and gain support. "With a hat, without a hat, however it may be, we will fight," she declared, emphasizing her resolve.

Quiroz García, whose husband Carlos Manzo was murdered in November 2025, expressed that the reform unfairly limits citizens who wish to participate in politics independently. She called on the public to overcome any fear and engage in the political process without party impositions. "I embrace independent candidates, I embrace citizens who want to participate independently without any party, without any imposition," she stated.

The mayor stressed the importance of a level playing field for independent candidates, who must gather signatures and often lack the resources available to established political parties. She believes that citizens should not be denied the option to run outside the traditional party system.