On Monday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) asserted that Mexico is “safer” than the United States, despite the recent kidnapping of four American citizens, two of whom died while in captivity.

“It is safer in Mexico than in the United States, and there are no issues in terms of traveling safely throughout Mexico,” López Obrador stated during his regular press conference.

The president made the comparison when questioned about the travel advisories issued by Washington, advising Americans to avoid traveling or exercise extreme caution in 30 out of the 32 Mexican states.

“Why such paranoia?” the president exclaimed, taking the opportunity to once again reject the idea put forth by American congressmen that their country’s military should combat drug traffickers wherever they may be.

“It is a campaign against Mexico by conservative politicians in the United States,” stated the leader, who last Friday referred to those lawmakers as “meddlers” and accused them of engaging in “political maneuvering” ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential elections.

The U.S. ambassador, Ken Salazar, and AMLO met.

On Monday, López Obrador received a group of U.S. congressmen and the ambassador of that country in Mexico, Ken Salazar, to explain his efforts against the trafficking of fentanyl – a highly lethal opioid – and address bilateral trade controversies.

The group of eight legislators, led by Republican Congressman Jason Smith from Missouri, included five other representatives from the same party and two Democrats, as reported by the presidency in a statement.

“We are partners […] forever. Sometimes there are concerns, disagreements, but we know that we are united,” Salazar declared to journalists after the meeting.

During the meeting, AMLO explained “the work that Mexico has been doing, especially regarding fentanyl,” stated Roberto Velasco, representative of the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Secretary of Economy, Raquel Buenrostro, and the Undersecretary of Finance, Gabriel Yorio, also participated in the meeting, where efforts “to maintain and expand” bilateral trade were highlighted, added the presidency.

There will be an informative campaign in which Mexican consulates will participate as disseminators.

On March 3rd, four Americans were kidnapped in the border city of Matamoros (state of Tamaulipas, northeastern Mexico) by alleged drug traffickers.

Two of the hostages died at the hands of their captors, apparently due to gunshot wounds they sustained while attempting to escape shortly after the abduction, while another suffered a leg injury. All four have already been repatriated.

According to Mexican authorities, the victims crossed into Matamoros because one of them had planned to undergo cosmetic surgery.

Following the incident, Washington reiterated the travel advisory in place for Tamaulipas, as its highways have been the scene of multiple crimes in recent years.

If it were true that it is not safe to travel to Mexico, -“there wouldn’t be so many Americans coming to live here,” stated the president, noting an increase in tourist arrivals in destinations such as Cancun.

Perhaps you’re interested in reading about the photovoltaic plant that López Obrador inaugurated.

On Monday, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard traveled to the United States to “report” on how Mexico is addressing the issue of insecurity, particularly the fight against fentanyl, a synthetic drug 50 times more potent than heroin, which is attributed to tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the United States.

Following the kidnapping in Matamoros, Republican lawmakers proposed that the United States use its military to combat drug traffickers, even within Mexican territory.

Some congressmen from the same party also propose designating Mexican cartels as “terrorists,” thereby opening the door to direct action by the United States outside its borders.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has urged the Mexican government to “do more” against fentanyl trafficking.

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© Agence France-Presse