PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico has expressed deep concern over media reports of a U.S. investigation into alleged drug money donations for his 2006 campaign, raising questions about the future of talks between the two countries on crucial issues such as migration and drug trafficking. In a strongly-worded statement, López Obrador called on U.S. officials to apologize for what he deemed baseless allegations, highlighting the challenges that could hinder bilateral relations until such an apology is issued.
Speaking at his daily morning press briefing, President López Obrador stated, "I don't accept this; what I want is for the U.S. government to take a stand. If they have no proof, they have to apologize." He further urged President Joe Biden to address the matter, emphasizing the difficulty of discussing pressing issues like drug trafficking and migration when allegations and information leaks from U.S. agencies are undermining trust between the two nations.
The Biden administration has heavily relied on Mexico's cooperation in accepting the return of migrants from third countries as a means to efficiently manage the flow of migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S. southwest border. A potential refusal by Mexico to continue this cooperation or to ease its efforts in controlling the flow of opioids produced in Mexico and smuggled into the United States could present a political challenge for the Biden administration.
While President López Obrador did not specify the exact entity he believed should apologize, he suggested that the U.S. State Department should make a statement to clarify the situation. He decried media reports as "interventionism" in Mexico's domestic affairs.
It is worth noting that President López Obrador has consistently denied previous allegations that drug traffickers may have contributed around $2 million to his initial, unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2006. These allegations, resurfacing now, have been perceived as a U.S. attack on his government and his Morena party, particularly as Mexico approaches its June 2 presidential election.
Claudia Sheinbaum, the presidential candidate for López Obrador's Morena party, currently maintains a significant lead in opinion polls for the upcoming election. Nevertheless, Mexico's ongoing high rates of violence and Sheinbaum's commitment to continuing López Obrador's policy of not directly confronting drug cartels remain notable vulnerabilities for the governing party.
The investigation into alleged drug money donations dates back to 2010 when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) examined claims made by a cooperating drug trafficker and a former campaign adviser, suggesting that leaders of the Beltrán Leyva drug cartel had provided funds to close associates of López Obrador. However, a wiretap of a conversation between DEA informants and one of López Obrador's top aides did not conclusively verify these donations, leading U.S. officials to close the politically sensitive case.
Former head of international operations for the DEA, Mike Vigil, expressed concerns that this latest dispute could have detrimental effects on U.S.-Mexico collaboration in the fight against drug trafficking, akin to the 2020 arrest of General Salvador Cienfuegos. López Obrador's longstanding grievances regarding the actions of DEA agents in Mexico led to restrictions on their activities following Cienfuegos' arrest.
Vigil stated, "It's just terrible, it's going to mean more drugs heading to the United States and more violence in Mexico," adding that this situation could further strain already fragile relations between the two nations. López Obrador has previously accused the U.S. of interfering in Mexico's internal affairs and alleged that Cienfuegos' arrest was part of a DEA plot to weaken Mexico's armed forces and grant U.S. agents greater freedom in the country.
In 2020, Cienfuegos was arrested at a Los Angeles airport on charges of participating in an international drug trafficking and money laundering network. Mexico demanded his release, even reportedly threatening to expel U.S. agents unless he was returned. Ultimately, the United States dropped the charges and returned Cienfuegos to Mexico, where he was absolved of any wrongdoing. In response, Mexico imposed visa restrictions on U.S. agents and limited their activities within the country.
As this investigation unfolds, it casts a shadow over the already complex and sensitive relationship between Mexico and the United States, potentially impacting their cooperation on vital issues such as drug trafficking and migration in the foreseeable future.
