In a decisive statement that underscores his administration’s stance on drug cartel policy, Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador firmly declared that Mexico will not engage in combat against drug cartels at the behest of the United States. This announcement offers the most straightforward explanation to date of his administration’s reluctance to directly confront these criminal organizations.
For years, President López Obrador has advocated for a non-violent approach towards handling cartel violence, famously summarizing his policy as “hugs, not bullets.” He has consistently argued that combating violence with violence is futile and emphasized the need to tackle the root causes of drug cartel violence, such as poverty and lack of opportunities.
On Friday, while addressing his stance on not pursuing the cartels aggressively, López Obrador made it clear that his approach is part of a broader “Mexico First” policy. “We are not going to act as policemen for any foreign government,” he stated during his daily news briefing. “Mexico First. Our home comes first.”
López Obrador has also positioned the drug issue as primarily a problem for the United States, not Mexico, although he has expressed willingness to help curb the flow of drugs into the U.S., but strictly on humanitarian grounds. “Of course we are going to cooperate in fighting drugs, above all because it has become a very sensitive, very sad humanitarian issue, because a lot of young people are dying in the United States because of fentanyl,” he remarked. It’s worth noting that over 70,000 Americans die annually from synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which are largely produced in Mexico from precursor chemicals smuggled in from China.
Echoing sentiments from the 1970s, López Obrador’s view reflects a time when many officials believed the issue of Mexican cartels selling drugs was a concern for the U.S. to address. Security analyst David Saucedo highlighted that, historically, Mexico viewed the war against drug cartels as a U.S. issue, noting that while domestic drug consumption in Mexico is on the rise, it remains relatively low compared to the U.S.
López Obrador has previously spoken against demonizing drug cartels and has even encouraged leaders of the Catholic church to negotiate peace pacts between warring gangs. In 2022, he explained his directive for the army to avoid engaging cartel gunmen by stating, “we also take care of the lives of the gang members, they are human beings.” His sometimes lighthearted remarks about the violence have drawn criticism, particularly from those living under cartel control who feel mocked by his comments.
Despite the criticism, López Obrador has visited Badiraguato, the hometown of notorious drug lords like Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, multiple times, pledging to continue doing so. His visits and policies underscore a commitment to nationalism and independence from U.S. influence, including imposing strict limits on U.S. agents in Mexico and restricting Mexican law enforcement’s contact with them.
While the U.S. Embassy in Mexico has not commented on López Obrador’s recent statements, it acknowledged U.S. Treasury Department sanctions against a Sinaloa Cartel money-laundering network. John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, praised the “strong partnership with the government of Mexico” in investigating the case.
Despite some high-profile detentions, the Mexican government’s policy has struggled to keep pace with the evolution of drug cartels into extortion operations that demand protection payments under threat of violence. These cartels have expanded their control over large territories in Mexico, posing significant challenges to peace and security.
López Obrador claims that his “Mexico First” policy is essential for reducing domestic violence. He has taken credit for a decrease in homicides, although the decline began before his tenure. The most reliable annual count showed a 9.7% drop in homicides in 2022 compared to 2021, marking the first significant reduction during his administration. However, the country’s homicide rate remains significantly higher than that of the U.S., underscoring the ongoing challenges Mexico faces in combating violence and drug cartel activity.