Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) called on drug cartels to avoid violence on Monday following the recent capture of drug trafficking lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada García, a key figure in the Sinaloa Cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
At the same time, López Obrador expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of communication from U.S. agencies regarding the operation, raising concerns about possible unauthorized military involvement ordered by Biden's White House.
A U.S. intervention?
Despite lacking concrete evidence, López Obrador did not rule out the possibility that U.S. forces operated without permission to detain El Mayo and Guzmán López, one of Los Chapitos."There is no dismissal [of the possibility of U.S. Armed Forces' intrusion], but there is no proof," the president stated, reflecting his discontent with the situation.
The Mexican president also highlighted the absence of clear information from U.S. authorities to their counterparts. "I am not satisfied. There is still much to be clarified, such as the departure points... Initially, a flight plan from Hermosillo to New Mexico was sent, but it later emerged that the information was unreliable," he emphasized.
López Obrador mentioned that he might seek a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden but would wait until he had all the necessary information. "Yes, I would look for Biden. But I believe they will provide all the information; we trust that. They are likely consulting, and we wanted to make it clear that we want all available information," he added.
This response came amid reports that individuals dressed as military personnel were involved in El Mayo Zambada's arrest, an operation that allegedly began in Mexico and concluded in El Paso, Texas, where he was officially detained.
López Obrador questioned the arrest of both drug traffickers, who were apprehended in El Paso after disembarking from a plane that departed from Mexico without the Mexican government's knowledge.
A long negotiation
The Mexican president pointed out that, although there were rumors of negotiations between the U.S. government and Guzmán López for his surrender, no such information was shared with Mexico. "No, there are no reports," he stated firmly.
He noted that the U.S. government had previously indicated that they had been negotiating with Guzmán López for an extended period. "That is what they claim, even mentioning negotiations spanning two or three years," López Obrador explained.
Despite his dissatisfaction with the information provided by U.S. authorities, López Obrador reaffirmed his government's commitment to cooperating with the U.S. in combating drug trafficking. "We have always fought against drug trafficking, ensuring that it is done on our terms, not as before when U.S. agencies were in control. There is now order, and the so-called Mérida Initiative no longer exists, but we cooperate because it is a humanitarian issue," he stressed.
Calling for peace
Amid concerns about potential violence in Sinaloa, the base of the cartel led by El Chapo's sons, López Obrador called for restraint and emphasized the importance of peace. "Those involved in these illicit activities know that confrontation solves nothing, only endangering lives and causing suffering for families. Violence is not the way; I trust there will be no confrontation, and I hope for peace," he expressed.
As the situation unfolds, the Mexican president's call for nonviolence and his demand for comprehensive information from the U.S. underscore the complex dynamics at play. López Obrador's appeal for calm in Sinaloa and his firm stance on receiving all relevant details from the U.S. highlight his administration's efforts to navigate this challenging scenario with prudence and transparency.
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