A potential US military intervention against cartels in Mexico would be counterproductive and would not help eliminate the drug trafficking problem, columnist María Anastasia O’Grady argued in an article published this Sunday in The Wall Street Journal.
In her view, a US military operation in Mexico would weaken an ally such as Secretary of Public Security Omar García Harfuch and strengthen “the most corrupt sectors of the ruling Morena party.”
Under the headline “Don’t Bomb Mexico, Mr. President,” O’Grady emphasized that President Donald Trump’s authority to use the Pentagon against criminal organizations in Latin America would primarily target Mexico, without producing the desired results.
“In Mexico, the use of US armed forces is even less convincing. It will not eliminate fentanyl trafficking in North America,” she wrote.
The columnist emphasized that dropping explosives in states like Sinaloa could give “US drug warriors instant gratification,” but it will not solve violence or drug trafficking. She emphasized that the cleanup requires social support, and public opinion would be irritated by the idea of a “gringo invasion.”
For O’Grady, a better strategy in Washington is to cultivate ties with Mexico around common interests and strengthen modern, democratic institutions.
In her analysis, she highlighted the role of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October 2024 and “owes her career to López Obrador, but it seems increasingly likely that to succeed she will have to distance herself from him.”
She emphasized that Sheinbaum has defended Mexican sovereignty, although she has also shown seriousness in the fight against crime by appointing Omar García Harfuch as Secretary of Security.
She recalled that the Mexican government under the current administration has allowed US surveillance flights, handed over high-value prisoners, and facilitated judicial cooperation. These measures, O’Grady noted, contrast with López Obrador’s takeover of the judiciary.
“The transfer of high-value prisoners to the United States gives prosecutors the opportunity to extract valuable information about who runs criminal networks and who their political allies are. With a former high-ranking security official from the state of Tabasco a fugitive from Interpol, Mexicans could be getting closer to uncovering the corruption emanating from the state where AMLO launched his career.
“Corruption is deeply rooted in Mexico, where many good people have died in the US war on drug trafficking. Yet Mr. García Harfuch is trying to build a credible federal police force. US military intervention would weaken this and many US allies, while strengthening the most corrupt sectors of the ruling Morena party,” the columnist wrote.
Source: reforma
