President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during the daily morning press briefing at Palacio Nacional on October 7, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo: Pedro Gonzalez Castillo/Getty Images)
Calling War 'Irrational,' President of Mexico Rejects Trump Offer to Send US Army to Wipe Drug Gangs 'Off Face of the Earth'
"We have to act independently and according to our constitution, and in line with our tradition of independence and sovereignty," said Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday swiftly rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to send American troops over the border to "wage war" on drug cartels after assailants killed at least nine members of a fundamentalist Mormon family in northern Mexico.
During a press conference Tuesday, Lopez Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, thanked Trump and "any foreign government which wants to help" in the aftermath of the gruesome killing of dual U.S.-Mexican citizens, which authorities believe was carried out by cartel members.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country."
--Ryan Devereaux, The Intercept
"But in these cases," AMLO said, "we have to act independently and according to our constitution, and in line with our tradition of independence and sovereignty."
"War is irrational," the Mexican president added. "We are for peace."
AMLO's comments came after Trump fired off a series of tweets Tuesday morning offering Mexico "help in cleaning out these monsters."
"The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!" Trump said. "This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!"
In response to Trump's tweets Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) wrote sarcastically, "Nothing says you're 'against endless wars' like announcing that you want to send U.S. troops 'to wage WAR' in Mexico."
The Intercept's Ryan Devereaux noted that the U.S. has been helping Mexico wage a war on drugs for years--with disastrous consequences.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country," said Devereaux.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday swiftly rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to send American troops over the border to "wage war" on drug cartels after assailants killed at least nine members of a fundamentalist Mormon family in northern Mexico.
During a press conference Tuesday, Lopez Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, thanked Trump and "any foreign government which wants to help" in the aftermath of the gruesome killing of dual U.S.-Mexican citizens, which authorities believe was carried out by cartel members.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country."
--Ryan Devereaux, The Intercept
"But in these cases," AMLO said, "we have to act independently and according to our constitution, and in line with our tradition of independence and sovereignty."
"War is irrational," the Mexican president added. "We are for peace."
AMLO's comments came after Trump fired off a series of tweets Tuesday morning offering Mexico "help in cleaning out these monsters."
"The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!" Trump said. "This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!"
In response to Trump's tweets Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) wrote sarcastically, "Nothing says you're 'against endless wars' like announcing that you want to send U.S. troops 'to wage WAR' in Mexico."
The Intercept's Ryan Devereaux noted that the U.S. has been helping Mexico wage a war on drugs for years--with disastrous consequences.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country," said Devereaux.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday swiftly rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to send American troops over the border to "wage war" on drug cartels after assailants killed at least nine members of a fundamentalist Mormon family in northern Mexico.
During a press conference Tuesday, Lopez Obrador, commonly known as AMLO, thanked Trump and "any foreign government which wants to help" in the aftermath of the gruesome killing of dual U.S.-Mexican citizens, which authorities believe was carried out by cartel members.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country."
--Ryan Devereaux, The Intercept
"But in these cases," AMLO said, "we have to act independently and according to our constitution, and in line with our tradition of independence and sovereignty."
"War is irrational," the Mexican president added. "We are for peace."
AMLO's comments came after Trump fired off a series of tweets Tuesday morning offering Mexico "help in cleaning out these monsters."
"The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!" Trump said. "This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!"
In response to Trump's tweets Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) wrote sarcastically, "Nothing says you're 'against endless wars' like announcing that you want to send U.S. troops 'to wage WAR' in Mexico."
The Intercept's Ryan Devereaux noted that the U.S. has been helping Mexico wage a war on drugs for years--with disastrous consequences.
"Active U.S. support for the drug war in Mexico has been the status quo for more than a decade--it has fueled one of the deadliest conflicts in the western hemisphere and destabilized whole regions of the country," said Devereaux.