Mexican president defends his security policy and attacks the US

Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador (AMLO)defended its security policy on Friday after the United States warned that a recent escalation in drug attacks is affecting investment in the country.

AMLO vs US Ambassador

Without referring directly to Thursday’s speech by the US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazarthe leftist president boasted of the accomplishments of his strategy to reduce violence without going to war with organized crime.

“They said we couldn’t deal with the killings, but let’s go. They said the strategy didn’t work, they even mocked the governor of Texas (Greg Abbott) about “no hugs”. bullets,” he said. Lopez Obrador at his daily press conference in the city of Tijuana, one of the victims of the attacks, on the northeastern border with the United States.

Salazar expressed concern over the attacks, which killed dozens of people and burned down businesses, and warned that this situation “cooled” US and other countries’ investment in Mexico.

For the ambassador, security is more important than the trade agreement between Mexico, the US and Canada, T-MEC.

Plan “Hugs, not bullets”

López Obrador insisted that last week’s action in several Mexican states They are due to the manifestation of “propaganda” by criminals in the face of blows inflicted by the authorities.

Under the slogan “hugs, not bullets,” the Mexican leader points to a policy based on combating poverty, inequality and youth lack of opportunities as the structural causes of violence, which drew criticism from the opposition and experts.

The president claims his plan prioritizes intelligence operations over war, to which he attributes a spiral of violence that has killed some 340,000 people since 2006, when the drug fight was militarized.

According to the report presented at the presidential conference, since the beginning Government of Lopez Obrador in December 2018, and the number of intentional homicides decreased by 12.8%.

Lopez Obrador outraged

Due to the wave of attacks USA issued safety warnings to its employees in the affected areas. It also stepped up travel alerts by advising its citizens not to visit six Mexican areas.

“How many unfortunate acts of violence, aggression, shootings are happening in the United States! Do we know? Do we send notices, warnings to Mexicans not to travel to the United States in certain states? No!” Criticized by Lopez Obrador.

The president also accused his opponents of trying to create a false impression that “the country is on fire” and assured that he still does not ride in armored cars or in escort. “I have nothing to fear, I feel safe in Baja California and around the world. Mexico”. (EFE)