Mexican President Rejects U.S.
Plan to Combat Cartels with Military Force
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spoken out against the idea that the U.S.
military should intervene in Mexico to combat the country’s growing cartel violence.
The proposal, which has gained traction among some Republican lawmakers, has strained the relationship between the U.S.
and Mexico.
Lopez Obrador has even launched an information campaign urging Mexicans and Hispanics in the U.S.
not to vote for Republicans if the plan moves forward.
Mexico has been dealing with cartels that are as powerful as the military, widespread corruption, and a justice system where 95 percent of violent crimes go unpunished.
Lopez Obrador campaigned on a “hugs not bullets” strategy to combat cartels, emphasizing social programs as a solution to the violence.
However, homicides have surpassed 30,000 for five straight years, and Lopez Obrador has been criticized for his unwillingness to take meaningful action against the cartels, who are often thought to run key government institutions.
The Mexican president has also shut down almost all counter-narcotics cooperation with the U.S.
after taking office.
The recent killing of two Americans, likely caught in the crossfire of cartel violence, has led some Republican lawmakers to propose a plan to take down drug labs and go after cartel leadership using cyber attacks, drone attacks, manned aircraft, and Delta Force raids.
Lopez Obrador has rejected this proposal, stating that no foreign government or armed forces will be permitted to intervene in Mexico’s territory.
Lopez Obrador has blamed the growing fentanyl epidemic on Americans and their demand for illegal drugs, while falsely claiming that fentanyl is not produced in Mexico.
However, U.S.
officials estimate that almost all fentanyl consumed in the U.S.
is made in Mexico.
The Mexican president’s comments have put him in the hot seat for his own policies since his election in 2018.
Some Republicans are suggesting that the U.S.
should name cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, but the White House has not supported this idea.
