The month of March was intense in terms of the bilateral relationship, officials and former officials of the United States, as well as official documents, raised a series of criticisms of the Mexican government for the treatment given to the relationship with Russia, but also on The orginalized crime. Below are some of the claims raised through the month that are about to end.
On March 24, General Glen VanHerck, Chief of the Northern Command of the United States Armed Forces, assured Russia that Mexico had the largest group of spies deployed in the world. He added that they were trying to create instability in the region and gain influence against US interests.
According to their position, the agents are trying to infiltrate foreign governments that maintain a good relationship with the United States, as is the case with Mexico. Not only that, it was the same general who a year ago declared that between 30 and 35% of Mexican territory is controlled by criminal organizations.
On the same date, the United States Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, attended the Chamber of Deputies, criticizing the reception given to the Russian Ambassador the previous day with the installation of the Mexico-Mexico Friendship Group. . He blamed that approach to that country in the current war context “is something that can not happen”.
3. In the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Act, approved by the US Congress, $ 158 million is allocated to bilateral aid to Mexico, within the framework of the Two Hundred Years Agreement. However, a lock was set up to prevent the resources from reaching Mexican soldiers who were actively participating in public security tasks. This clause prevents resources from being allocated to the National Guard staff, which can be interpreted as a difference of opinion with the militarization of public safety and tasks that should be of civil order.
William Barr, former United States Attorney General during the governments of George W. Bush and Donald Trump, stated in an interview with Fox News that the Mexican government “lost control of the country.” He warned that the cartels had tens of billions of dollars and could corrupt whomever they wanted, citing Mexican authorities. There is the possibility that they will share sovereignty with the government and in the worst case, a modus vivendi will be achieved with them.
Although he is a former official, his statements are relevant to the extent that he is an important part of Donald Trump’s campaign for the next presidential election. If he wins, he could hold a key position within the U.S. government.
5. In the final report of the Commission on Combating Trade in Synthetic Opioids, a topic of great importance to the United States, it is stated that the strategy that Mexico adopted of “hugs, not bullets” was unable to counter the drug trade. , so “additional efforts” are required. This is one of the first explicit acknowledgments in an official text about the discomfort with the Mexican government’s policy of confrontation with criminal groups.
This constructs a narrative of a weak Mexican government with poor handling of domestic and international affairs, and it also represents pressure to change its approach. This harshness is not new, as it emerged at other times during the six-year term with the arrest and release of General Salvador Cienfuegos, the regulation of the actions of foreign agents in Mexico, and the statements of former Ambassador Christopher. Landau who pursues the policy of “laissez-faire faire” against the cartels that operate with impunity, to name a few.
* Candidate for a Doctorate in Political Science from UNAM and founder of SIE Consulting. Twitter: @ jgt_00
