The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, rejected the criticisms from the United States ambassador, Ken Salazar, regarding the security strategy of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In her morning conference, Sheinbaum questioned Salazar's accusations, who claimed that López Obrador had rejected U.S. support in security and had closed the door to multimillion-dollar investments.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry sent a diplomatic note to Washington regarding Salazar's statements, criticizing the Mexican government for denying the reality of violence and lamenting that the 'hugs, not bullets' strategy had not worked. Sheinbaum highlighted Mexico's independence and sovereignty, pointing out that while it coordinates and works with other countries, there is no subordination.
This is the second high-profile incident between Mexico and the U.S. since August, when López Obrador declared a 'diplomatic pause' due to criticisms of the judicial reform. Sheinbaum showed a video in which Salazar praised the cooperation in security between the two countries, criticizing the lack of coherence in his statements.
Salazar, appointed by President Biden, made these statements in the context of political tension in the United States and bellicose promises from Trump about combating the cartels in Mexico. Sheinbaum insisted on the importance of dialogue to coordinate actions on mutually beneficial issues, reminding of the need to maintain Mexico's independence and sovereignty in its international relations.
