U.S. Secretary of State Addresses Cartel Control in Mexico
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, large areas in Mexico are effectively under the control of terrorist cartels, and he claims the Mexican government’s actions to combat this are insufficient. During a visit to Ecuador, Rubio conveyed that the threat of these cartels will need to be addressed, regardless of Mexico’s cooperation.
“Mexican authorities have stepped up their efforts to tackle these organizations more than ever, but it’s still far from enough,” Rubio stated in discussions aimed at bolstering Ecuador’s fight against organized crime. He emphasized that this sentiment has been clearly communicated to Mexican officials.
Despite an emerging collaboration with Mexico, Rubio noted that many regions remain dominated by cartels.
“The citizens of Mexico can attest to this,” he added. “Polls consistently reveal that security is the foremost concern. Assassinations of political candidates, judges, and journalists reporting on these cartels are tragically common.”
Several nations in Central and South America have welcomed comprehensive U.S. assistance to eliminate cartels, including military support to collaborate with local forces. However, this kind of support has not extended to Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to uphold national sovereignty, which appears to limit U.S. military presence.
Rubio stated, “Ideally, we’d prefer to work in partnership with Mexico. But at some point, the threat has to be confronted, one way or another.”
While Sheinbaum has permitted the sharing of intelligence between Mexico and the U.S., there is ongoing scrutiny over her government’s handling of operations against cartels, particularly given allegations linking some members of her political party to cartel activities.
As noted previously, the current governor of Sinaloa, Ruben Rocha Moya, is wanted by the U.S. Justice Department for drug trafficking and weapons charges associated with the Sinaloa Cartel. Sheinbaum has defended him, suggesting that the U.S. has not presented sufficient evidence of his alleged involvement.
