AMLO proposes truce with the US and China in the face of the Fentanyl crisis

The president of México, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has reversed his diplomatic stance by proposing a truce and international collaboration to combat the drug use epidemic, specifically the fentanyl crisis. In a press conference on Wednesday, the Mexican president expressed his desire to end the reproaches and accusations between countries and focus on saving lives and addressing the humanitarian aspect of the situation.

López Obrador revealed that he has already presented his proposal to the Joe Biden government, and hopes that China, the country indicated by the United States as the epicenter of the synthetic drug production chain, will also join the joint efforts. The Mexican president affirmed that an agreement on this issue is possible beyond the ideological and political differences between the nations involved.

These statements come after a meeting between López Obrador and Elizabeth Sherwood Randall, Biden Administration National Security Advisor, in which migration and drug trafficking issues were discussed. Despite recent clashes between the Mexican government and US politicians from the hard-line Republican Party, as well as with agencies such as the DEA and the State Department, Sherwood Randall has maintained open channels of dialogue between the two countries. The adviser has visited México on multiple occasions in the last three months because fentanyl trafficking has become a relevant issue in US politics ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

López Obrador emphasized that the issue of fentanyl was discussed and the importance of having accurate information to prevent this crisis from being used for political purposes. The Mexican government maintains that all parties involved must assume shared responsibilities and avoid demonizing México in its role in the fight against organized crime. The president reiterated that México does not produce fentanyl, but is only a link in the global chain of drug trafficking.

In April, after a meeting with a bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers, López Obrador sent letters to the Chinese government requesting collaboration to combat the fentanyl crisis. However, Beijing has claimed that fentanyl is a Washington problem, “made in the USA”, and has refused to acknowledge its role as a facilitator of the precursors used in the manufacture of the drug.

Despite the geopolitical tensions in recent weeks, López Obrador commented that the Chinese government has shown a positive attitude and willingness to collaborate. The Mexican president also announced his intention to request information from other Asian countries, such as South Korea, about precursor buyers and trafficking routes.

Also read: “López Obrador receives an apology from Robert Kennedy Jr for racist comments by Republican legislators towards México”

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