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President of Mexico concludes his government with 12,319 members of organized crime arrested

The Government of the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, (2018-2024) will conclude this month with a total of 12,319 members of organized crime arrested, almost 2,600 drug trafficking laboratories destroyed and the 19% drop in the monthly number of homicides, its latest Security Report said on Tuesday.

In the six-year period, the federal authorities arrested 94,240 criminals, including 12,319 organized crime and 8,509 “priority targets”, such as Rafael Caro Quintero, alias El narco de narcos, and Ovidio Guzmán, one of the sons of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, said Rosa Icela Rodríguez, the Secretary of Security.

As a sign of the fight against drug trafficking, Rodríguez announced in the morning conference of the National Palace the destruction of 2,593 clandestine laboratories for the production of synthetic drugs during the last six years.

The Mexican agents, he detailed, confiscated more than 95,000 kilograms of chemicals and more than 44,000 kilograms of drugs.

Of this amount, he highlighted the seizure of 795 tons of marijuana, 205 tons of cocaine, 775 tons of methamphetamine, 1,616 kilograms of heroin and 1,338 kilograms of opium gum, as well as the destruction of 11,000 hectares of marijuana, 66,000 of poppy and 70 of coca leaves.

He also reported a record confiscation of 8,000 kilograms of fentanyl, a synthetic drug that has been the priority of the United States Government, which in 2021 signed with Mexico the Bicentennial Understanding to combat violence and drug trafficking.

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Despite the data, the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) said that López Obrador abandoned the logic of the ‘war against drugs’ declared by former President Felipe Calderón (2006-2012).

“Mr. President, thank you for teaching us the culture of peace, above war,” Rodríguez said.

The Secretary of Security insisted that the López Obrador Administration, who took office on December 1, 2018, reduced the monthly incidence of homicides by 19%, by reporting 2,546 in July compared to the historical maximum of 3,074 in July 2018, in the final phase of the presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018).

But preliminary data that she exhibited on September 3 showed that the López Obrador government will conclude with a record accumulated of at least 193,612 homicides from 2019 to 2024, an increase of 23.16% compared to the 157,198 committed from 2013 to 2018 under Peña Nieto.

The head of the SSPC also reported a drop in the monthly incidence of crimes such as kidnapping (-77% to 37 per month), femicide (-41.6% to 63 per month), and total theft (-30.2% to 45,719 per month).

As one of López Obrador’s main achievements, the secretary cited a reduction during her administration of more than 15 points in the perception of insecurity, up to 59.4% of the population, one of the lowest measurements of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), an autonomous body.

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“This means that more and more people consider it safe to live in their city, it is also important to consider that this consistent downward trend, during a period of 22 quarters is something that is practically not observed in any country in the world,” Rodríguez said.

According to Inegi data, the secretary also explained that between 2018 and 2022 in 17 entities the crime victim rate and the percentage of poverty fell, while in the first half of 2024 the number of households of victims of theft or extortion fell by 12.7% compared to 2018.

He also highlighted that the government institution in which the population trusts the most is the federal government, with a record of 59.1% that expressed its confidence in 2023, compared to 25.5% in 2017, according to Inegi.

“The way of governing in Mexico has had a positive impact on the population. They are great advances of the transformation movement, led by President López Obrador, a solid basis for the new Government of the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum,” he concluded.

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International

Claudia Sheinbaum: Operation Against ‘El Mencho’ Was Based on Pending Arrest Warrants

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday rejected claims that the military operation that resulted in the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was carried out under pressure from the United States government.

Sheinbaum explained that the deployment of federal forces was aimed at executing outstanding arrest warrants against Oseguera Cervantes, who was considered one of the most wanted criminals in both Mexico and the United States.

“That was not the objective (to ease pressure from the United States). It is very important, and I want to repeat it. This individual had an arrest warrant, or several,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the operation conducted on February 22.

According to the president, the initial goal was to capture Oseguera Cervantes, but military forces responded after coming under attack during the intervention.

“The operation was to detain him. The problem is that they were attacked — the Secretariat of National Defense — and they responded at that moment,” she said.

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The president insisted that the action was not carried out in response to external demands, although she acknowledged intelligence cooperation with the United States.

“It was not done in any way because of pressure from the United States, not at all. Of course, there was intelligence information from the United States that was used specifically,” she concluded.

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International

Spain Denies Any Agreement to Cooperate with U.S. Military in Iran Operations

Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Wednesday firmly denied that Madrid has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military in operations against Iran, contradicting statements made minutes earlier by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“I categorically deny it,” Albares said in a radio interview cited by EFE. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombings in Iran, and the use of our bases has not changed by a single comma.”

Earlier in the day, Leavitt told reporters that Spain had “agreed to cooperate with the United States military in recent hours,” following President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a trade embargo on Madrid. Trump had warned of economic measures after Spain reportedly refused to allow the Pentagon to use facilities at Spanish bases for operations related to Iran.

“I have no idea what that could be referring to or where it could be coming from,” Albares said, insisting that Spain’s position “has not changed at all” and therefore “remains absolutely unchanged.” He added that he had “no desire” and “almost no time” to speculate about the White House spokesperson’s remarks.

Albares reiterated Spain’s “No to war” stance, which he said had been clearly and forcefully expressed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in an institutional address. According to the foreign minister, that position has been supported by “many European colleagues.”

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White House Says Spain Agrees to Cooperate with U.S. Military After Trump Threatens Trade Embargo

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Spain has agreed “in recent hours” to cooperate with the U.S. military, following President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a trade embargo on Madrid.

Trump had warned of potential commercial measures after Spain reportedly refused to allow the Pentagon to use facilities at Spanish military bases for operations related to Iran.

“With respect to Spain, I think you heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear, and I understand that in recent hours they have agreed to cooperate with the United States military,” Leavitt said during a press briefing.

She added that the U.S. military is currently coordinating with its counterparts in Spain. However, the president expects broader support.

“The president expects that all of Europe, all of our European allies, of course, will cooperate in this important mission — not only for the United States, but also for Europe,” Leavitt said.

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Her remarks came in response to questions about Spain’s position and its role as a U.S. ally amid rising tensions surrounding operations involving Iran.

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