Mexico's President Wants 'Humanist' Approach To Take On Cartels Instead Of New Drug War

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly stated since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term that she will not allow any foreign military to fight the cartels on Mexican soil.

The anger over the country’s many cartels has exploded in recent days after the assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo. On Tuesday, Sheinbaum reiterated her stance on foreign intervention and explained why she believes the old way Mexico waged the War on Drugs did not work.

Instead, Sheinbaum wants a “humanist” approach and does not want to flood battle-scarred states with the Mexican troops. She said having a war means having “extrajudicial killings” by the military because someone is presumed to be a criminal. Elements of the Mexican military have been accused of human rights abuses and coverups during the War on Drugs. Sheinbaum says they will not go back to that.

Sheinbaum’s rhetoric sounds similar to her close friend and former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who wanted an “abrazos, no balazos” (hugs, not bullets) approach to the cartels. Both belong to the National Regeneration Movement (Morena).

It is important to note that under both presidents, the Mexican military has been used to varying degrees to fight the cartels. The Mexican National Guard was created under López Obrador in 2019. The creation was partially in response to President Trump demanding Mexico to do more to stop illegal immigrants from reaching the U.S., but they have also been used to combat cartels.

The control of the Mexican National Guard was transferred to the Ministry of National Defense in 2022.

So what does a “humanist” strategy look like?

WATCH: