Riva Palacio Analyzes the Growing Political Vulnerability of Sheinbaum’s Administration Amid U.S. Investigations
Journalist Raymundo Riva Palacio analyzes in his column the growing political vulnerability of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration in light of U.S. investigations into alleged links between prominent Morena figures and organized crime.
“The U.S. objective is López Obrador’s government, and it is becoming increasingly evident that he built Morena’s electoral strength with money from drug trafficking,” Riva Palacio states.
The 4T’s Dilemma: Loyalty or Immunity?
The columnist argues that Sheinbaum’s communication strategy, which attempted to dismiss reports from U.S. media as “science fiction,” has been overtaken by reality. The leaked recording involving Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila, along with a recent report by The New York Times stating that legislators and governors are seeking to become informants for U.S. authorities, reveals a breakdown in the ruling party’s internal unity.
“No Morena figure has any incentive to close ranks with the Fourth Transformation because the choice is either to be captured, as a U.S. operation did with Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, or to negotiate their legal situation by providing details about what they saw and experienced during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration,” Riva Palacio writes.
Washington’s Objective: López Obrador’s Legacy
According to the analysis, the primary interest of U.S. agencies is to document the alleged collusion between López Obrador’s government and drug cartels, particularly the Sinaloa Cartel. Riva Palacio emphasizes that the investigations are not isolated but extend from the alleged historical financing of political campaigns to supposed international connections involving Venezuela and Iran.
The author also highlights President Sheinbaum’s defensive position. According to the sources cited, she fears that the investigations may eventually reach López Obrador’s closest circle.
“The President does not want that ladder to continue climbing toward Palenque, not only because of the affection and gratitude she has for López Obrador, but also because she believes it would bring an end to the Fourth Transformation movement,” the journalist states.
A Conflict of Powers and Diplomacy
Riva Palacio warns that the confrontational rhetoric coming from the National Palace is not only ineffective given the imbalance of power with the United States, but also complicates Mexico’s diplomatic room for maneuver. While Sheinbaum attempts to protect figures such as Senator Adán Augusto López—identified as a “priority target” by Washington—the operational reality is that the Mexican government has no control over judicial decisions made outside its borders.
Finally, the columnist concludes that the urgency with which certain politicians are seeking cooperation agreements with the U.S. administration reflects a clear trend: faced with the possibility of ending up in a foreign prison, support for López Obrador’s legacy has become secondary.
“From what has been seen, they are deciding to throw López Obrador under the bus,” he concludes.
Source: informador
