US sees ‘potential worsening’ of tensions between the Armed Forces in Mexico: Pentagon leaks

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According to a US military report, the Secretary of the Navy was so frustrated by the possibility of the Army taking control of the airspace that he “instructed” officers “to limit cooperation” with Sedena.

The United States military “assessed the implications” of the Mexican Army assuming supervision and control of civil aviation, revealed a document from the most recent Pentagon leak, which was released on Saturday by the US newspaper The Washington Post.

According to the report by journalist Nick Miroff, the report classified as “top secret” foresees that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will continue “assigning more responsibilities and supervisory roles to the country’s armed forces, especially the Mexican Army, but ‘ without commensurate increases in resources.’”

“This imbalance is often seen as a recipe for corruption,” mentions the newspaper, which emphasizes that in the current six-year term the military has assumed an increasingly broad portfolio of civilian functions.

In addition, the United States military evaluation highlights the differences between the head of the Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Rafael Ojeda Durán, and the head of the Secretary of National Defense, General Luis Cresencio Sandoval.

According to this report, “the Mexican Secretary of the Navy was so frustrated by the possibility of the Mexican military taking control of all Mexican airspace that he ‘instructed Navy officials to limit cooperation with SEDENA. in response'”.

Photo: Cuartoscuro Archive

In addition, it warns of the “potential for worsening tensions” between the Mexican Armed Forces, which “will likely exacerbate their existing rivalry and further diminish their ability to conduct joint operations.”

The newspaper points out that there are no indications that this report was derived from wiretapping by US or Mexican authorities.

The Mexican embassy in Washington declined to comment on the report for  The Washington Post.

The American media obtained the documents thanks to a series of exclusive interviews with the Discord portal, which published the leaks first. The United States has accused 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, of being the author of the leaks.

On March 1, the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) published the decree by which the Mexican Airspace Protection Law is issued , which establishes that the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) of Mexico will be in charge of coordinate to monitor and protect the airspace of the country.

The law indicates that the Sedena will coordinate the participation of the authorities so that they assist in the surveillance and protection of the Mexican airspace, in the area that is the responsibility of national security.

In addition, it gives legal support to the participation of the Ministry of National Defense, through the Mexican Air Force to provide security in the country’s airspace.

It also mentions that the National Center for Surveillance and Protection of Airspace will act in accordance with its powers when observing any of the flight maneuvers indicated, such as: not activating your transponder code or turning it off during the flight, changing route for no apparent reason Not establishing communication with the air traffic control services provided by the aeronautical authority or with the Center.

In addition, for not having flight plan information, registering erratic changes in speed, height, course or performing unusual maneuvers, flying over a restricted, prohibited, dangerous, surveillance and protection area of ​​Mexican airspace and air defense identification , and when an aircraft is in an emergency situation.

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The law also mandates the formation of the Mexican Airspace Surveillance and Protection System, which includes coordination between the agencies and entities of the Federal Public Administration that comprise it “to inhibit and counteract illegal air operations that threaten national security ”.

This system will be integrated by Sedena, which will coordinate; the Command of the Mexican Air Force and the Command of the National Center for Surveillance and Protection of Airspace; Secretariat of the Navy, through the Directorate of the Command and Control Center of the Mexican Navy.

Source. aristeguinoticias.com