Threatening Mexico

THREATENING MEXICO

45% of registered Republican voters consider Mexico an enemy of the US. And some Republicans want to threaten or use military force against Mexico to control the southern US border and curb smuggling of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid produced illegally in Mexico. (Fentanyl has become the biggest killer of US people aged 18-45, responsible for most of the 70,000 deaths from overdoses from synthetic opioids in 2021.) Those threatening use of military force include such prominent politicians as Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Tim Scott.

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in a restrained manner has characterized loose talk about military action against his country as follows: “In addition to being irresponsible, it is an offense to the people of Mexico, a lack of respect for our sovereignty.”

What would US troops do in Mexico? Chase drug dealers around the countryside, bomb drug labs, have perp walks in orange jumpsuits? The US did this kind of thing before in 1916 when it unsuccessfully chased the revolutionary Pancho Villa all over Mexico, reaping nothing but ill-will and anti-Americanism. And it only addresses the supply side of the equation. What about the demand side, the fact that there is a huge market for opioids in the US, that, if not met by Mexico, would be met by some other country? 

Source: The Economist, 7/22/23.