The murder of two Americans Mexico exacerbated a long-standing debate in Washington over the possible recognition of drug cartels terrorists. The question is not trivial, because it hides something much deeper: a possible military intervention by USA in Mexican territory.
“This is part of the pre-election lobbying, but when these issues come to the fore in bilateral relations, you should pay attention to it and not downplay it,” warned Arturo Sarujan, Ambassador of Mexico to USA in the period from 2007 to 2013.
After Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, they increased pressure on the Joe Biden administration to tighten policy on Mexico for trafficking in fentanyl, an opioid that is responsible for a record number of overdose deaths in USA.
The debate intensified after the kidnapping in Tamaulipas, a Mexican border state with a strong presence of organized crime, of four Americans, two of whom were killed.
declare them terrorists
Taking advantage of the tragedy, Republican lawmakers dusted off an idea not new to Washington: to declare terrorists cartels to be able to counter them militarily, something to which Mexico directly opposite.
US State Department listed groups terrorists foreigners to organizations such as the Islamic State (IS), Hamas or the Colombian National Liberation Army (ANL).
Republicans like Lindsey Graham or Dan Crenshaw have introduced bills to blacklist the Sinaloa cartel, the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), and the Gulf Cartel, among others, because, they say, “they have terrorized Americans for decades.”
The idea is not new. Former President Donald Trump asked him about this after the massacre of nine American Mormons in the US. Mexicoand Barack Obama once abandoned it.
“No matter how much violence they sow cartels, they are not groups terrorists because they have no political agenda or intent to overthrow anyone,” said former Ambassador Sarukhan.
Military intervention?
The discussion is not a simple matter of semantics. Label these groups as terrorists this would allow the US government to fight them militarily, which is what the Republican hawks are asking for.
Senator Graham said that the goal of the military operation would not be “invading Mexico”, but to “destroy” clandestine laboratories for the production of fentanyl.
But whether it’s American soldiers setting foot in Mexico or drones shooting at laboratories, the red line will be crossed.
“It’s a very disturbing language, because Mexico has already been captured in the past USA, And in Mexico there is a real concern about their sovereignty,” said Karin Zissis, an expert at the Council of the Americas, a Washington-based think tank.
Furthermore, it was shown to Zissis that such an “aggressive approach” did not work, as the military crackdown on drug lords fractured the cartels and created “more chaos and more violence”.
“It’s a language that might work among some voters USA, but that won’t solve the problem,” he said.
Crossing reproaches
At the morning press conference, the President MexicoAndrés Manuel López Obrador responded that he would defend the sovereignty of this country, attacked the American Republicans, whom he called “weaklings and interventionists”, and asked that no one vote for them.
The Mexican government’s concern is so high that Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard travels to Washington on Monday to discuss a contingency strategy with 50 Mexican consuls in Washington. USA.
For its part, the White House tiptoed through the controversy and ruled out announcing terrorists to the posters. “This will not create additional competition for us,” Biden spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said last Thursday.
“It is clear that the administration understands that this is not the case, but we will see increased pressure on the Mexican government,” Sarujan said.
The cooperation between the two countries, which launched the Bicentennial Plan of Understanding a year ago, has produced results such as the capture of Ovidio Guzmán, the son of “El Chapo”.
But in the administration of the Democratic Party, more and more voices are heard criticizing the activities of the Mexican government.
DEA criticized Mexico for not providing enough information, while Attorney General Merrick Garland told the Senate two weeks ago that more can be done by Mexican authorities to combat drug trafficking.
For former Ambassador Saruhan, López Obrador’s security strategy was a “disaster” and reduced cooperation to a minimum. But he also believes that Washington is “very superficially” aware of its responsibility.
Responsibilities of the United States
And that’s what Mexico he also wants Washington to do more. On the one hand, a decrease in dependence on opioids in the country. “For years, pharmaceutical companies prescribed them as if they were M&M’s,” recalls Saruhan.
On the other hand, by targeting groups operating in USA and halting the arms trade in Mexico, where they are at the root of the homicide crisis the country is suffering from.
Why don’t they solve the problem? Why aren’t they fighting the distribution of fentanyl in USA?”, chided Lopez Obrador last week.
According to Zissis, “the problem of organized crime cannot be solved without USA take care of these things.”
The challenge now is to ensure that cooperation does not interfere with the uproar that will intensify as the 2024 presidential election approaches in both countries. EFE
Source: RPP
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