“Mexico is respected, we are not a colony of the United States”

First modification: 03/09/2023 – 23:35Last modification: 03/09/2023 – 23:40

The kidnapping of four young Americans, two of them murdered, in the city of Matamoros, on the border with the US state of Texas, raises a new controversy between Mexico and its neighbor to the north.

This Thursday, March 9, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured at a press conference that Mexico is not “a protectorate of the United States or a colony of the United States. Mexico is a free, independent, sovereign country. We don’t take orders from anyone.”

The angry response comes after the proposal of the US Republicans so that the Army of the country could act on Mexican soil declaring war against the drug cartels considering them terrorists. For AMLO, the proposal, “in addition to being irresponsible, is an offense to the people of Mexico, a lack of respect for our sovereignty.”

“According to the report that was presented to me this morning, this gentleman (Republican Dan Crenshaw) dares to say that they are going to use the Armed Forces of the United States to enter our territory, as in an invasion, we could go to the UN” Obrador asserted.

The words come despite the fact that Joe Biden wanted to reduce the tension on Wednesday by assuring that “declaring these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations would not give us any additional competence that we do not already have at this time.”

AMLO warns the Republican Party

This controversy is also part of the growing concern in the United States about the social havoc that fentanyl is causing. This synthetic opioid is manufactured in Mexico and has caused thousands of deaths in the United States.

However, Obrador wondered on Wednesday “how is it that he arrives? How is it distributed there? It will serve to shake up the agencies. What are they doing? There is minimal inefficiency”. This Thursday he threatened the Republicans with campaigning against him among Mexicans living in the United States.

“I just want to tell you that either they change their treatment of Mexico, or starting today we are going to start an information campaign in the United States so that all Mexicans, our compatriots, know about this aggression by the Republicans against Mexico. And if they continue with this attitude, we are going to insist: not a Mexican or Hispanic vote” for the Republicans.

What is known about the kidnapping in Matamoros?

AMLO reported that an investigation is already underway to clarify the causes of the kidnapping of the four young men by armed civilians last Friday after crossing the border into Matamoros, in the state of Tamaulipas, and the subsequent murder of two of them.

At the moment, there is one person detained in relation to the case and this Thursday the Gulf Cartel handed over five men allegedly responsible for the kidnapping.

Along with these people was an apology note from the cartel for what happened. The Mexican newspaper ‘El Universal’ published, citing federal sources, that the hostages could have entered Mexico in connection with drug trafficking activities.

It is a common practice in the area and they point out that three of them had a history of drug trafficking, sale and consumption. A US administration source told that they could have been confused with Haitian drug traffickers.

The last of the controversies

This controversy comes a few days after the Mexican president lashed out at the United States for statements by the State Department, headed by Antony Blinken, in reference to the electoral reforms of the AMLO government and the protests that this generated.

“An independent electoral system, with good resources and respect for judicial independence support a healthy democracy,” were the words of the US State Department. UU. that angered the Mexican president.

AMLO replied: “They still have not abandoned the politics of two centuries ago, Monroe’s policy, of feeling like the government of the world,” although he affirmed that President Joe Biden’s position is being different.

A day later, State Department spokesman Ned Price rectified and recognized Mexico as a “partner that is at the same level”, that enjoys “a vibrant democracy” and that makes decisions in a sovereign manner.

With Reuters and EFE