Sheinbaum Responds to Ambassador of the United States

Claudia Sheinbaum Responds to US Ambassador
Following Criticism on Security
Here Are the Details

Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, responded this Thursday to recent criticisms from the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, who questioned the security strategy of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Salazar claimed the strategy «did not work» and criticized the Mexican government for refusing U.S. support in this area.

At a press conference, Sheinbaum defended Mexico’s sovereignty, asserting that there is no «subordination» to the United States.

«Mexico is a free, independent, and sovereign country. We coordinate, we work together, but there is no subordination,» said the president.

Claudia Sheinbaum Responds to US Ambassador

#BREAKING Sheinbaum responds to U.S. ambassador’s criticism of López Obrador:

«There are differences between what the United States ambassador says one day and what he says another day» https://t.co/kVFkhAxMVq pic.twitter.com/0SXTH4YXtY

— RT en Español (@ActualidadRT) November 14, 2024

Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of high-level dialogue between the two nations, given their trade relationship and shared challenges in areas such as security, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling.

The controversy arose after Salazar publicly expressed regret over López Obrador’s refusal to accept U.S. support in his security strategy, which included the controversial “hugs, not bullets” approach.

According to the ambassador, this strategy failed to achieve the desired results in combating violence and organized crime in Mexico.

Sheinbaum’s response was direct, as reported by EFE.

The Mexican and U.S. Governments Maintained Constant Dialogue

“Mexico is a free country, there is no subordination”: Sheinbaum responds to Ken Salazar’s criticism of “hugs, not bullets” https://t.co/vDZvo9kFEV

— Milenio (@Milenio) November 14, 2024

She highlighted that during López Obrador’s administration, the Mexican and U.S. governments engaged in consistent and effective dialogue, particularly through the «Bicentennial Dialogue.»

«With President Biden, President López Obrador had a high-level dialogue,» Sheinbaum recalled.

She also questioned Salazar’s recent statements, noting that just a day earlier, he had described the Mexican government’s stance on violence as a «denial of reality.»

«There are differences between what the U.S. ambassador says one day and what he says another day,» Sheinbaum pointed out, referring to a video from April in which Salazar praised bilateral security cooperation, including the capture of criminal leaders like Rafael Caro Quintero and Ovidio Guzmán.

Tensions Persist Between the United States and Mexico

The tension between the Mexican government and the U.S. embassy is not new. This marks the second high-profile confrontation in recent months.

In August, López Obrador’s government responded to Salazar’s criticism of Mexico’s judicial reform—which proposes electing judges by popular vote starting in 2025—with a «diplomatic pause.»

Salazar’s remarks come at a politically sensitive time, following Donald Trump’s recent victory in the U.S. elections.

During his campaign, Trump vowed to take drastic measures against Mexican cartels, including military intervention and threats of bombing, raising concerns in the Mexican government about Washington’s intentions regarding bilateral relations.

In her address, Claudia Sheinbaum called for consistency and logic in diplomatic statements.

«You cannot declare one thing one day and then change your mind the next,» the president concluded.

She made it clear that Mexico will continue to defend its autonomy on domestic issues, including security.

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