MEXICO CITY — In a brief span of just over three weeks since taking office, President Claudia Sheinbaum finds herself confronting a surge of violence attributed to the policies of her predecessor, who largely avoided confronting drug cartels and leaned on military forces for law enforcement.
Sheinbaum assumed the presidency on October 1, and instead of discussing her administration’s proposals, particularly a plan to have judges elected, she is addressing severe issues arising from systemic violence.
On her inaugural day, the army was involved in the shooting death of six migrants, and shortly after, three bystanders were killed in Nuevo Laredo by military personnel chasing cartel suspects. These incidents illustrate a troubling trend of military involvement in civilian casualties as they tackle organized crime.
Further complicating her presidency, Sheinbaum recently dealt with the assassination of an outspoken Catholic priest, who had received threats from gangs. Another violent encounter in northern Sinaloa resulted in soldiers killing 19 cartel members without any harm to themselves, echoing past human rights concerns linked to military operations.
Santiago Aguirre, director of the Miguel Agustín Pro human rights center, expressed disappointment over the current situation, highlighting the government’s failure to prioritize urgent issues while focusing excessive political capital on a controversial judicial reform. He believes it may lead to more complications than solutions.
Sheinbaum has assured the public that all violent incidents are subject to investigation; however, she has invested limited time discussing them compared to extensive hours promoting her judicial reform agenda. She argues that electing judges could tackle corruption effectively.
Many critics argue, however, that the core issue lies in the chronic underfunding and lack of training for local police and prosecutors, resulting in over 90% of crimes never reaching the courtroom.
Her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who left office on September 30, positioned the military as key to national security while sidestepping the cumbersome tasks of police and judicial reform.
Sheinbaum has vowed to uphold López Obrador’s strategy, which emphasizes non-confrontation with drug cartels while attempting to curb recruitment through educational and vocational initiatives.
Despite López Obrador’s failure to decrease Mexico’s high homicide rates, he was able to present himself as a victim confronting sensationalist media narratives. In contrast, Sheinbaum faces increasing challenges that find her lacking the charisma or time to dismiss them.
Recent attacks have escalated, notably an incident where a cartel detonated simultaneous car bombs in Guanajuato, injuring three officers and leaving devastation in its wake.
Military analyst Juan Ibarrola suggested that the current situation is a significant test for Sheinbaum and her new administration.
The reality of heavily armed drug cartels intent on regional control poses a persistent dilemma for multiple presidential administrations in Mexico. Ibarrola remarked that employing violence may be deemed necessary for the government in addressing cartel threats.
On Friday, Omar García Harfuch, the nation’s top security official, relayed an extensive attack involving cartel gunmen in Guerrero, showcasing their firepower with machine guns and explosive devices.
In this conflict, 17 suspects and two police officers were killed while the military, now overseeing the National Guard, attempted to manage the fallout from a wave of negative press in recent weeks.
In Nuevo Laredo, the northern border city facing clashes between military forces and cartels, the tragic deaths of three civilians, including a nurse and an 8-year-old girl, have underscored the dangers of a military-led security strategy, raising alarms about potential collateral damage.
Raymundo Ramos, head of the local Human Rights Commission of Nuevo Laredo, has campaigned tirelessly for accountability regarding civilian deaths caused by military actions.
He expressed concern that tactics similar to those observed in Nuevo Laredo, like the “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality, are proliferating throughout the country, connecting them to a broader pattern of military engagement in urban areas.
Ramos stated, “They operate the same way across the whole country: ‘don’t leave witnesses; dead men don’t talk.’”