The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, defended the actions of the Army in an operation in Sinaloa that left 19 dead. The northwestern state is facing a wave of violence due to internal conflicts in drug trafficking. Sheinbaum assured that the military responded within the framework of the law in the detention of Edwin Antonio, alias El Max, a presumed leader of a criminal cell linked to Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel.
In her morning conference, the Mexican leader pointed out that in the operation there was aggression against the Armed Forces and they responded according to the law. Sheinbaum emphasized that when the Armed Forces are attacked, they have the right to respond in legitimate defense.
The incident in Sinaloa has highlighted two controversies in the first month of Sheinbaum's presidency. The first is the violence in Sinaloa, which has claimed more than 200 lives since the onset of the internal cartel conflict on September 9. The second is the growing role of the military in public security tasks, which have recently resulted in tragic events such as the deaths of migrants in Chiapas and civilians in Tamaulipas.
Sheinbaum stated that the Armed Forces operate respecting human rights, despite the controversy over a video showing members of the National Guard and the Army about to kill an innocent young man in Sinaloa. The Security Cabinet's policy is to avoid confrontations and not resort to violence without respecting human rights and the law.
