Hey there! If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news, you’ve probably noticed some shifts in Mexico’s approach to tackling the huge drug problem that’s been dragging on for years. So, let’s break it down in a way that’s a bit easier to digest.
Meet Claudia Sheinbaum, the current president of Mexico. She’s been insisting that there’s no big shift from the previous administration led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However, the numbers she throws out during her weekly updates might tell a different story, indicating that the policy of “hugs, not bullets” is heading towards its grave.
This change is coming after more than a decade of chaos and violence that exploded when former president Felipe Calderón declared war on drugs back in 2006. AMLO (as López Obrador is affectionately called) came to power in 2018 with a fresh perspective: focusing on addressing the underlying issues of crime, like poverty and lack of opportunities, and encouraging dialogue with established power groups.
But now, it seems like Sheinbaum is backpedaling a little. While she says the original idea is still alive and kicking, the numbers she’s reporting—think tons of drugs seized and criminals locked up—are way up from what we saw during AMLO’s term. She recently asked rhetorically if these significant seizures indicated they’re doing something right.
For any Mexican president, tackling the issue of drugs is like trying to juggle flaming swords—extremely tricky! Because, let’s face it, no matter how independent they claim to be, the reality is that U.S. policies play a big role, especially since the U.S. buys a whopping 80% of Mexico’s exports. That’s a powerful lever to pull, you know?
And speaking of powerful, we’ve got Donald Trump lurking in the news. As pressure mounts from the U.S., particularly with the ongoing concerns about the flow of fentanyl, Sheinbaum finds herself in a tight spot. Last week, the U.S. Treasury slapped sanctions on several Mexican financial entities for apparently helping drug cartels arrange shady deals for fentanyl ingredients from China and laundering their dirty money.
In a recent press conference, Sheinbaum shot back, asserting that Mexico isn’t anyone’s piñata and maintains they are stepping up their efforts while also demanding proof from the U.S. regarding the allegations. Meanwhile, the National Banking and Securities Commission announced that two of the sanctioned banks were going to be investigated to renew management and safeguard public assets. Ouch!
Her strategy also includes bringing in Omar García Harfuch as the Secretary of Security, who’s had quite a reputation for reducing homicide rates in Mexico City during his time as police chief. Under Harfuch’s watch, they’ve reported in the last few months over 24,000 arrests for serious crimes, dismantled more than 1,000 drug labs, and seized nearly 180 tons of substances including millions of fentanyl pills. Not too shabby if you ask me!
While Sheinbaum seems to be navigating this tricky waters, many experts warn that ramping up anti-drug policies without a sustainable strategy could yield limited results. David Saucedo, a security consultant, noted that increasing seizures doesn’t directly correlate with reducing overall consumption, especially as long as there’s a robust demand in the U.S. It’s like pouring water into a bucket full of holes—it’s just not going to hold up!
So, here we are, observing a potential shift away from the softer approach, inching back towards a more militarized stance. And though Sheinbaum claims that the traditional “war on drugs” isn’t coming back, it seems like we might be stuck in a bit of a rinse-and-repeat cycle.
What do you think about this shake-up in Mexico’s drug policies? Are we just going to see more of the same, or can we hope for something innovative and effective? As always, feel free to share your thoughts!
Catch you later, and don’t forget to stay informed and engaged!
