Mexico: López Obrador fails on issues of security and corruption

The capture of Ovidio Guzmán, aka "El Ratón," the son of Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, unleashed a new wave of violence and chaos in the state of Cualiacán, resulting in 29 deaths, 10 of them military personnel. The images published by Aeroméxico passengers who were on board a plane that was hit by a bullet leave no doubt as to the gravity of the situation, as well as the control and terror that has been exercised by this cartel over the Mexican people.

This is the second time in less than three years that Mexican authorities have captured Ovidio Guzmán. In 2019, his arrest was short-lived after the Sinaloa Cartel attacked the military and the guard in charge of the operation. At the time, López Obrador justified the shameful release of Guzmán with the desire that "there would be no more innocent victims," as if letting him go free and allowing the cartel operate with impunity would not lead to the deaths of many more people, not just on Mexican soil. At that time, a U.S. grand jury had already found the Guzmán brothers guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, and as of December of 2021, a $5 million reward for any information leading to their arrest appeared on the State Department's website.

On social media, there is much debate surrounding the timing of Ovidio Guzmán's arrest as well as AMLO's true motivations. Last week the hot topic was whether he would be extradited or released. As of Friday, it became known that a Mexican court suspended a possible extradition so that "El Ratón" will first face justice in Mexico for the charges against him for drug trafficking, possession of firearms and organized crime.

All of this discussion coincidentally took place on the eve of President Joe Biden's first visit to the southern border. The U.S. President then went to Mexico for the North American Leaders' Summit, where existing economic and immigration agreements were reviewed and regional policy was discussed. However, from what was seen and heard, the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada seem determined to deny reality. The region has become less safe, prosperous and free as a result of each country's respective policies. One needs only to look at the data on the increase in drug and human trafficking, for example. Homeland security research indicates that Mexican cartels make about $13 billion a year from human smuggling alone, 26 times more than they did in 2018, when Donald Trump was U.S. president.

Incredible as it may seem, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) continues to be popular in his country, despite the way he manipulates and lies to the public. A report entitled The Value of Truth determined that the Mexican president lies 80 times in each of his conferences. He refuses to recognize the facts and data that show that he has not delivered anywhere near what he promised during his long years of campaigning for the presidency. He has brushed aside important issues like public safety and the fight against corruption, both of which are key to the defense and development of the nation. There are other equally worrisome and hurtful issues for the Hispanic community that apparently go unnoticed by most of his followers, for example: AMLO's support and defense of the worst narco-dictatorships in the region, such as Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, as well as his recent despicable statements in favor of criminal leaders of failed socialist revolutions such as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

Last week, Voz Media reported on a violent riot that resulted in 17 deaths and the escape of 30 prisoners in a jail in the northern state of Chihuahua near the U.S. border, exposing the weaknesses and corruption that prevail in many of the country's prisons. AMLO has not succeeded in reducing violence; in fact, quite the contrary. October was the most violent month of the past year in Mexico, with 2,481 victims of homicide. Journalist Jorge Ramos confronted the president and reminded him that his term was already the deadliest in Mexican history:

The magnitude of danger in Mexico is such that an estimated 90% of crimes are not even reported.

Faced with this devastating panorama, AMLO's only strategy is to blame a third party, in this case U.S.-based companies, which is why the Mexican government has filed a second complaint in the neighboring country against five Arizona arms manufacturers. According to Mexican government estimates, 60% of the weapons seized in the country in recent years were acquired in 10 border counties.

Despite AMLO's promise that he would defend morality "against the corrupt liberals," and that there would be no "cronyism, nepotism and influence peddling" in his presidency, there have already been several alleged cases of interference of his personal relationships in the assignment of public positions and the commissioning of projects. In addition to a dozen friends, the president's sons reportedly have four cousins on the federal payroll, one of them an administrative advisor to a company responsible for preparing bids. Four cases stand out. First, the possible links involving AMLO's direct relatives with certain social and environmental programs managed by businessman Hugo Chávez Ayala, a friend of the president who was appointed by him as director of the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program. Second, AMLO's four children, who manage the company Rocío for the cultivation of chocolate "as an inheritance from their maternal grandfather." Third are the contracts of the state-owned oil company Pemex that were closed with the company's premium for a large sum, and which resulted in the dismissal of a Pemex manager. Fourth is the case of the $186,000 sanctions issued by the National Electoral Institute (INE) to AMLO's party, Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (Morena), for authorizing the retention of 10% of the 550 employees of the municipal government of Texcoco in Mexico City. There are other allegations of possible overspending of billions in the Dos Bocas and Tren Maya mega-projects. In the latter, one of his sons works as honorary supervisor.

Last year, the book The King of Cash was published, accusing the president of corruption.

According to the Corruption Risk Index 2022, four out of every 10 pesos spent in federal purchases were used on non-competitive goods. In 2021, such spending accounted for 41% of the total amount awarded. In short, federal institutions failed to comply with spending laws by awarding nearly $500 million to high-risk suppliers, including many "ghost" or newly created companies. Also worth noting is that 29% of federal institutions increased their corruption risk score in regards to public spending since 2020.

Mexico ranks last in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in terms of corruption, and ranks 124th (out of 180) in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.

López Obrador has little or nothing to celebrate, since the results of his public policies have failed miserably, no matter how much he uses his rhetoric and popularity to defend his disastrous administration.