Summary
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that if the U.S. designates Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, Mexico may expand its lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers, alleging complicity in organized crime.
The U.S. State Department reportedly plans to classify major cartels as terrorist groups, escalating tensions. A previous $10 billion Mexican lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers was dismissed, but legal efforts continue.
Mexico blames U.S. firearms for fueling cartel violence, while rejecting U.S. claims of government-cartel alliances.
The dispute coincides with trade threats, including possible tariffs on Mexican goods.
Are the cartels not terrorist organizations? They’ve been assassinating politicians!
If they’re terrorist organizations, then the US arms industry are their accomplices.
That’s her argument.
It’s like this, Trump, “Mexico’s terrorist cartels are sending drugs to the US.”
Sheinbaum, “Well… they’re being armed by US weapons manufacturers.”
Both countries are saying illegal shit is being sent over their borders. Trump is putting all the blame on Mexico. Sheinbaum is saying, you’re companies are helping the cartels, asshole!
Also, Trump is putting the blame for the fentanyl problem on undocumented immigrants.
They’re not the ones bringing fentanyl into the U.S. Americans, and others crossing the border legally, are. Because you can bring a shit ton of it into the U.S. in a couple of bottles and Americans are far, far less likely to be searched at the border. They just drive over, buy the fentanyl, and drive back.
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/09/1191638114/fentanyl-smuggling-migrants-mexico-border-drugs
I love how this all got reframed entirely about fentanyl and not improving lives of users or even harm reduction. Nope, stop the fentanyl and people will want to stop using drugs.
Reagan with the “brave mujahideen fighters” from Afghanistan at the White House.
Donald Rumsfeld, Defense Secretary to Ford and George W Bush, meeting Saddam Hussein during the Reagan administration.
America has a history of arming its future enemies. Deeming the cartels to be terrorist organizations will make special ops and drone warfare permissible. The Mexican president knows this move invites more violence on her country, not less.
Do you think maybe that’s why the Mexican National Guard and Police have been fighting them for years now?
I’m not sure what your point is unless you think Mexico is just letting them do whatever they want.
According to Wikipedia, Mexico has killed over 12,000 cartel members, arrested over 120,000 and convicted over 8,500.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_drug_war
Meanwhile, the U.S… *checks notes* imprisons (usually black or brown) people for having a couple of fentanyl pills on them.