Analyst says there is a lack of political will to fight the cartels in Mexico

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has consistently denied any links to organized crime or cartels, characterizing allegations of cartel control as “absolutely false” and maintaining that her administration acts with full sovereignty.

The quote in question originates from an interview with Latin American political analyst Herbert Esmahan, featured on conservative media segments. Esmahan, a prominent commentator who frequently praises El Salvador’s security model under Nayib Bukele, argues that Mexico’s ongoing struggle with organized crime stems from a lack of political will rather than a shortage of resources.

The Security Debate and Current Context

• Sheinbaum’s Official Position: President Sheinbaum has repeatedly asserted that “the people govern” Mexico, not criminal networks. She has fiercely resisted foreign military intervention or unauthorized foreign intelligence operations within Mexican borders, demanding formal explanations from U.S. authorities over reports of unilateral actions.
• The “Political Will” Argument: Critics and analysts like Esmahan assert that a sovereign nation-state possesses adequate military and financial resources to dismantle cartel structures if it chooses to deploy them fully. They point to El Salvador’s aggressive, large-scale crackdowns as proof that deep-seated criminal networks can be suppressed through sheer executive mandate.
• Institutional Complexities: Independent security experts often counter that Mexico’s cartel problem cannot be solved by force alone. The enduring nature of Mexican organized crime is deeply tied to complex local economies, systemic corruption, and the infiltration of political structures over several decades, making standard military solutions highly disruptive and prone to causing widespread collateral violence.
• Current Strategy: While rejecting U.S. troops on Mexican soil, the Sheinbaum administration has continued cross-border intelligence sharing focused on curbing fentanyl trafficking, extradited high-profile cartel figures to the U.S., and deployed federal forces to high-conflict areas.

““There is no reason for a nation state such as Mexico not to be able to combat criminal structures such as the drug cartels. What we’re seeing is not a lack of resources, but a lack of political will to take on crime.”

Latin American political analyst Herbert Esmahan argues that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum may be compromised by the Mexican cartels, arguing that she has the resources to fight back against criminal cartels and refuses to do so.

Herbert Esmahan is an international political analyst based in San Salvador.

Source: One America News

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