Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador threatened to start a public relations campaign against GOP members of Congress who are pushing for the U.S. government to label cartels as terrorist organizations and using the U.S. military to fight them.
"We establish our position at once: We are not going to allow any foreign government to intervene, much less the armed forces of a foreign government, to intervene in our territory. And starting today, we are going to initiate an information campaign (aimed at) Mexicans who live and work in the United States, and all Hispanic, to inform them what we are doing in Mexico," López Obrador said.
"And on how this initiative from the Republicans, besides being irresponsible, is an offense against the people of Mexico," he continued. "A lack of respect for our independence, for our sovereignty."
López Obrador said if Republicans do not change their stance, then the Mexican government will tell the Latinos living in the U.S. to not vote for them because their proposal is "inhumane" and "corrupt."
Most news media covering AMLO's response to Graham/Crenshaw failed to mention the part where AMLO threatens to campaign against Republicans. pic.twitter.com/1csSU419As
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) March 10, 2023
López Obrador particularly aimed his ire towards Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). Crenshaw responded to the threat on Twitter:
The President of Mexico said today he would campaign against me & anyone who wants to target the cartels.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) March 9, 2023
1. Bring it. Lol.
2. Get a grip. You should be campaigning against the cartels who are MURDERING your own people, not the Americans who want to help eradicate them.
Republicans' call to designate cartels as terrorist organizations and to use the military against them have increased after four Americans were kidnapped after entering Matamoros, Mexico, which is across the border from Brownsville, Texas. Two of them were killed before the other two were rescued by Mexican authorities. The Gulf Cartel, which controls Matamoros, issued an apology and gave up five men who they claimed were involved in the kidnapping.
Lastnight 5 handcuffed men were adandoned in the streets of Matamoros with them a message in which the Gulf Cartel accuses them of having participated in the kidnapping of Americans and apologizes for the death of three people, including a Mexican per source pic.twitter.com/37doSnJ2cP
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) March 9, 2023