Breathe
By Stephanie Henaro
Everything changes, including Ken Salazar. At one time the closeness of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico worried Joe Biden's administration, but now he is distant and even uncomfortable.
In the last months of López Obrador's administration, he was unleashed, he raised his voice against the Judicial Branch Reform and that resulted in a change of last name.
Why didn't this happen when he said he was "not sure that the 2006 elections had been clean"?
Perhaps because it was not convenient, in the same way that the way he closed Mexico's most important bilateral relationship in AMLO's time and the way he opened it with current President Claudia Sheinbaum, does not suit Mexico.
Continuity applied even in this and now the US ambassador continues to be unleashed, saying that he never understood the pause, that AMLO rejected US help to fight insecurity, that it is undeniable that the "hugs not bullets" strategy failed and that to end organized crime and violence, Mexico needs help from his country.
What he is saying is nothing new, but what is new is the timing. Why is he saying it until now, why didn't he say it before when Ovidio Guzman was released? Or when AMLO was still in power, when Mexico didn't need the help and the strategy of hugs and not bullets worked?
Everything seems to point to this being one more layer of the smelly onion in the bilateral relationship, illustrating the mistrust, and hiding the truth of the arrival of Mayo Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López in the United States. Otherwise, why else would he be talking about violence and a failed national security strategy?
The latter resonates with the president-elect and the reorientation of his interests that are evident in his cabinet appointments. Donald Trump's new foreign policy is called border, border, and more border. That is why it is worth remembering that he has set his sights on designating narcos as "narco-terrorists" and with that the U.S. Army commanded by Pete Hegseth, veteran Fox News anchor, could intervene in Mexican territory, under the premise of national security.
Putting an end to the narco and having "the gringos save us" sounds wonderful, but we must also take into account that the army of our northern neighbor has not been the most successful in rebuilding democracies. One only has to think of the case of Afghanistan to confirm this.
Besides the United States would have to acknowledge their part of the problem, after all, they have worked hard to become the largest drug market in the world.
Beyond all this, and returning to the subject of Ambassador Salazar's darts, it must be recognized that the pressure from the US is not minor, our economy depends largely on trade with them and this could give them enough strength to be the one to get in the middle of the ideological marriage of Lopez Obrador and Sheinbaum on security issues. Two things don't work with three in bed.
Is it "a patriot" or just someone with interests?
What a change from Ken, I wish he had spoken up sooner.
Last one to leave, turn off the light.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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