Antidrug Agency Cancelled / “Traitors” Against the Reform
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Antidrug Agency Cancelled / “Traitors” Against the Reform

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Karin Dilge By Karin Dilge | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Thu, 04/21/2022 - 13:40

Antidrug Agency Cooperation with US cancelled. President López Obrador reported his administration has disbanded an anti-narcotics unit that worked in cooperation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to fight organized crime. The president explained the decision to dissolve the agency was due because it was infiltrated by organized crime members.

The Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU) operates in around 15 countries and works to dismantle smuggling rings and drug lords around the globe. These units are trained by the DEA and supervised by national governments.  According to an investigation by Reuters, over 50 officers in the SIU police are considered the country´s best and have worked on many the country’s biggest cases such as the capture of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Celebrities against Mayan Train. López Obrador said he will meet privately with celebrities that participated in the campaign against the construction of section 5 of the Mayan Train.

On Wednesday, environmentalists that support the campaign thanked the president for his interest and accepted his invitation to dialogue and discuss the issue. They called on the president to hold a constructive and respectful dialogue with experts and local communities.  

Last month, on World Water Day, a campaign against the Mayan Train was launched by celebrities including Eugenio Derbéz, Natalia Lafourcade, Bárbara Mori, among others. In a video, celebrities explained that the Mayan Train’s Section 5 was carried out without an environmental study or citizen consultation, which represents a risk for the ecosystems of the region and nearby communities. In addition, these celebrities asked the president to listen to the opinion of specialists to understand how the land would be affected, as well as their proposals. In addition to celebrities, NGOs, Mayan communities, environmentalists and archaeologists have also demanded the cancellation of the Mayan Train’s Section 5 construction.

No polarization in Mexico. President López Obrador dubbed all those who voted against the energy reform as “traitors,” saying they are working on foreign companies´ best interest. “If defending Iberdrola or foreign companies against Mexican interest is not treason, then tell me what it is,” he said.

After months of political discussion and delays regarding the vote, President López Obrador's electric reform was rejected in Congress this Sunday. The vote had been scheduled for Monday, April 11, before the Easter break. However, MORENA, the president's party, used its majority to postpone the vote until Easter Sunday in what some analysts saw it as an attempt to reduce parliamentary attendance at the time of the vote. If this was the case, the efforts were in vain, as Congress reported a near-perfect attendance of 498 legislators.

When asked if this kind of speech could hinder the negotiation and legislation processes, López Obrador said it is time to call things by their name. Furthermore, he denied the existence of polarization in the country in legislation matters, saying that the only polarization that exists in Mexico is between the “elite” and the “people.” “There is more polarization in the US than in Mexico. What is happening here is that those who felt like they owned Mexico and were very comfortable with corruption and privileges are now uncomfortable and are campaigning against us.

 

Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish

Photo by:   Presidencia de la República

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