The president of the Senate Board of Directors, Gerardo Fernández Noroña, criticized the comments of the United States ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, considering them as an act of little civil value. Noroña expressed that Salazar's opinions came too late and should have been expressed while Andrés Manuel López Obrador was still in office. He emphasized the constant variability of the ambassador's positions, pointing out that being in agreement with a prevention policy in Mexico does not align with the violence figures in the country.
In response to Ken Salazar's criticisms, the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed her bewilderment, highlighting that Mexico has always been cooperative with the United States on security issues. She mentioned the importance of high-level dialogues and cooperation between both nations. Sheinbaum indicated that Salazar's statements contradict what was expressed during López Obrador's administration and regretted his departure from Mexico.
Regarding Donald Trump's return to the White House, Gerardo Fernández Noroña expressed his confidence that Mexico and the United States will maintain good relations. For his part, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department supported Ken Salazar after his criticisms against AMLO.
Ken Salazar's comments, made on November 13 at a press conference, pointed to López Obrador's refusal to accept assistance from the U.S. government to address the security crisis in Mexico. Salazar questioned the effectiveness of the "hugs, not bullets" strategy and indicated that the republican austerity policy harmed the country, especially in public security matters.
