MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly insisted that she will not allow the U.S. military to fight drug cartels inside her nation’s borders.
“It’s not going to happen,” Sheinbaum said last month after President Trump yet again threatened such an operation. “We don’t want intervention by any foreign government.”
But while Sheinbaum passionately defends her nation’s sovereignty, recent polls and interviews from across Mexico show that a significant number of people here in fact welcome more American involvement in their country’s battle against organized crime — including having U.S. boots on the ground.
Slightly more than half of Mexicans surveyed by polling firm Mitofsky said they believe “U.S. authorities should enter Mexican territory to fight organized crime and arrest its leaders.” A third of respondents to a poll by El Financerio newspaper said they support the deployment of the U.S. military to Mexico to combat cartels.
The reason is obvious. Many Mexicans believe their military lacks the capacity to do the job, likely because cartel wealth and intimidation has compromised so much of the Mexican government.
I really cannot blame Mexicans for this. Mexico is a poor country. The prospect of a million dollar bribe there is likely equivalent to $10 million here. I would like to think most of our officials would not be swayed by a bribe but $10 million for most Americans is an unimaginable amount of luxury.
The intimidation factor may matter more. Organized crime has always benefited from being able to threaten family and friends. In a nation where very few people may lawfully possess arms and police are as likely as not on the cartel payroll, what is your alternative?
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