Mexico’s National Guard, created in 2019 as a force under civilian command, would be transferred entirely to the authority of the country’s military, according to a legislative reform presented to Congress by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Mexico’s Ministry of National Defense would assume full operational and administrative control of the security force, which López Obrador established as a replacement for the country’s corrupt federal police.
However, neither the National Guard nor the military have been able to reduce insecurity in Mexico. Last month, organized crime groups attacked four states in a week, burning businesses and killing bystanders.
According to its critics, the National Guard lacks the investigative and intelligence capabilities of a police force. They are a visible presence on patrol and respond to violence but do little to prevent it.
Some also argue that since the National Guard was established as a civilian force in the Constitution, simple legislative reforms are not enough to authorize its transfer to the armed forces.
The reform package was presented to Congress before the start of its new legislative session on Thursday.
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