President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, recently criticized the investigation by The New York Times into alleged contributions made by drug traffickers to his 2018 campaign. He questioned the right of foreign entities to investigate a legitimate government of an independent country, emphasizing Mexico’s sovereignty.
The investigation, based on information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and informants, claimed that millions of dollars were given to López Obrador’s children and inner circle. The president vehemently denied these allegations, calling them false and part of a smear campaign against him.
This incident is just the latest in a series of frictions between the Mexican government and U.S. agencies, particularly the DEA, operating in Mexico. Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard described the leaks as revenge for restrictions imposed on DEA agents in Mexico.
The roots of this conflict can be traced back to the arrest of Mexican General Salvador Cienfuegos by the DEA in 2020. The subsequent exoneration of Cienfuegos by Mexican authorities further strained the relationship between the two countries.
Experts suggest that the DEA’s actions are aimed at undermining López Obrador’s political authority, while others point to the president’s decision to dismantle the Mérida Initiative, a bilateral security cooperation agreement, as a factor in the conflict.
The ongoing tensions highlight the complicated history of relations between Mexico and the DEA, dating back to the 1980s. The latest incident underscores the challenges of balancing cooperation and national sovereignty in the fight against organized crime.
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