President doubles down on ‘Mexico first’ policy — RT World News

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that Mexico will put its security interests first and will not fight drug cartels just because the United States wants to. While he acknowledged that tens of thousands of people were dying from drug overdoses in the neighboring country, Obrador insisted that Mexicans would not do so. “Working as a policeman for any foreign government.”

According to official US data, last year, about 70,000 Americans overdosed on the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Washington has identified Mexico and China as the primary source countries for drugs and related substances smuggled directly into the United States.

He added: “Of course we will cooperate in the fight against drugs, especially because it has become a very sensitive and very sad humanitarian issue, because many young people are dying in the United States because of fentanyl.” Lopez Obrador told the media during a press conference. He indicated that it would be a humanitarian effort, stressing that the priority was national security. “Mexico first. 'Our home comes first' The president said.

Last year, Lopez Obrador indicated that he considered the overdose crisis to be an internal American problem. “We are deeply sorry for what is happening in the United States – but why are they not fighting the problem…and more importantly, why are they not taking care of their youth?”” he asked rhetorically.

For their part, US law enforcement officials have, on numerous occasions, blamed Mexican officials for their apparent refusal to cooperate in efforts to target fentanyl labs within Mexico.

Meanwhile, critics have blamed the rise in drug smuggling and human trafficking in the United States on the Biden administration. Illegal border crossings have increased since Biden took office in January 2021 and began dismantling the policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump.

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