“Because of García Luna’s alleged ties to criminals, there was a narco-state in Mexico”, says President Andrés Manuel López Obrador; “I didn’t greet the Chapo’s mother or free capos” responds former President Calderon.
MEXICO CITY (Times Media Mexico) – In an unprecedented situation in Mexico’s history, two presidents accuse each other of having ties to drug dealers. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and former President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa escalated their confrontation and crossed accusations, saying the other has supported criminal groups dedicated to drug trafficking.
At yesterday’s press conference at the National Palace, Lopez Obrador said that due to the alleged links with criminal groups that Genaro Garcia Luna had when he was Secretary of Security during the six-year term of Calderon, one could speak of a narco-state in Mexico.
He assured that during this period he was in charge of crime, because, he said, those who had to fight criminals were at his service, referring to the alleged agreements of García Luna with the Sinaloa Cartel.
“Imagine the situation the country was in. There was talk of a narco-state, and I thought at the time that it was not correct to classify it that way, but then, with all this coming to light, well, you can talk about a narco-state. Those in charge of fighting crime were at his service; he commanded crime; he had significant influence; he was the one who decided who to pursue and who to protect. It’s a shameful thing that [García Luna] acted as the government’s security secretary and at the same time protected one of the organized crime gangs,” AMLO said.
He also said there has to be a dividing line between authority and crime and prevent collusion between the two.
Hours later, in an interview with journalist Joaquin Lopez Doriga on Radio Formula, Calderon denied that during her administration there has been a narco-state: “I am not the President who greets the mother of El Chapo, I did not free any criminal in any circumstance, neither the children nor the nephews.
He demanded that Lopez Obrador cease the political persecution against him and that he should present evidence if he has any.
“He does not have to submit me to public consultation to see if I am to be judged or not (…) If he has a single piece of evidence against me that has judicial validity, then let him present it and act against me. Here I am.” Calderon challenged AMLO.
He affirmed that it was during his six-year term that more than 25 criminals were extradited to the United States and that, instead, today is when a more national territory is under the control of the narco.
“For AMLO is all about me… everything is about Calderon. People should not be confused, [these] are his desires for political revenge, it must be said clearly and strongly: it is political persecution against me.”
Former President Calderon demanded AMLO: “If you have evidence, judicial evidence against me for having acted illegally, do not wait for the consultation, here I am living in Mexico City and at your service!
He warned: “I do not think, I do not accept that something that should be decided by the law and by the judges is left to the popular consultation. If I am guilty, I will be accused and sentenced, [but] if I am innocent, shut up.
Calderón, who governed Mexico from 2006 to 2012, criticized López Obrador for trying to apply justice through a referendum and not a judicial process.
He said he is not afraid, but he is annoyed because Mexico has become, because of the daily conferences, “a country of daily lynchings.” Calderon also mentioned that AMLO’s conferences are “to qualify, stigmatize, ridicule, those who disagree with his government”.
In the end, Calderón said, the President is acting in this way because of the 2021 elections. Former President Calderon is the promoter of “México Libre,” a new political party capable of taking away Morena’s majority in Congress.
To say that my government was a narco-state “is a severe accusation, he will have to prove. However, one thing is clear: Mexico’s President wants to divert attention from the harsh national problems, such as the more than 60,000 deaths caused by the coronavirus,” concluded Calderon.
