The United States ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, expressed his disagreement with former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador regarding the security situation and investments at the end of his term. During a press conference, Salazar criticized AMLO's refusal to accept help and investments from the United States to strengthen diplomatic relations and combat insecurity in Mexico.
In his words, Salazar stated: "The reality is that the people of Mexico, businessmen, members of the press, those who work on the street corners... do not live in safety, and it must be clearly seen that this is a very serious problem for Mexico." The ambassador emphasized that the coordination on security issues between both countries largely failed due to the stance of the former president.
Salazar detailed that the aid offered by the United States consisted of economic investments to strengthen security and curb the influence of drug trafficking in the region. The ambassador's criticism focused on López Obrador's security strategy, known as "hugs, not bullets," which the ambassador considered a failure, as well as the republican austerity in security matters.
The Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Relations sent a diplomatic note to the United States Embassy in response to Salazar's statements, expressing its surprise at the messages issued by the American ambassador. Salazar stressed the importance of deep cooperation in security between both countries and lamented that López Obrador's refusal to receive help has hindered investment and bilateral cooperation opportunities.
Regarding the future of the security strategy and diplomatic relations, Salazar emphasized the need to uphold the rule of law and strengthen cooperation to address the security issues affecting Mexico and the United States.
