Title 42 / Fentanyl Crisis

Title 42. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that after the termination of Title 42, migration flows have decreased and there has been no violence. 

Last week, Title 42, one of former US President Donald Trump's toughest immigration policies, was terminated. Consequently, representatives from the US and Mexico met to agree on additional measures to regulate migration. The new strategy focuses on fighting human smugglers and traffickers, addressing the root causes of migration and creating regional migration centers.

In March 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the Title 42 policy, which prevents asylum seekers from applying for US protection and allows the US to send migrants to either their countries of origin or Mexico within the first few hours of their arrival. According to CDC authorities, the policy was necessary due to the increase in COVID-19 infections in the US. Since the policy's implementation, more than 1.8 million deportations have taken place, according to US government data.

Fentanyl Crisis. David Córdova Campos, Commander of the National Guard, reported that 7,493kg of fentanyl have been seized since 2018.

Fentanyl represents one of the most critical healthcare issues for Mexico and the US and has been a key discussion topic for both countries. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid considered 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin and 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. In 2021, there were approximately 70,000 deaths in the US related to fentanyl. In 2022, fentanyl deaths accounted for 66 percent of drug-related deaths in the US. While the price of fentanyl is at its lowest point, consumption is increasing in Mexico and the US, according to authorities. 

In March, US Republican Representatives Dan Crenshaw of Texas and Michael Waltz of Florida proposed solving the fentanyl crisis in the US by having President Joe Biden authorize military action against Mexican cartels. The proposal was presented in January 2023 and passed nearly unnoticed, yet re-entered the limelight due to a recent increase in fentanyl trafficking. President López Obrador has criticized this proposal, saying that the US would be meddling in Mexico’s internal affairs. 

Grupo México Could Buy Citibanamex. The president emphasizes that there is no disagreement with the possible purchase of Citibanamex. "Negotiations are going very well with one of the potential buyers: Grupo México."

Grupo México, one of the largest copper producers in the world and the main one in Mexico, is considering acquiring Banamex, one of the country's largest banks. The purchase would increase the company's financial capacity, boosting its mining, infrastructure and transportation operations. So far, Citigroup has valued Banamex at US$12 billion. However, the offers received, including Grupo Mifel's, are well below this amount. Grupo México is expected to propose the purchase for US$10 billion, which is closer to the desired amount.