Politics: Scandal puts ties between politicians and organized crime under the spotlight
A major scandal has erupted in Mexico with far-reaching short, medium, and long-term consequences. On July 12, General Miguel Ángel Martínez revealed that there is an outstanding arrest warrant for Hernán Bermúdez Requena, former Secretary of Public Security of Tabasco. He is charged with criminal association, extortion, and kidnapping and has been accused of having been the leader of the criminal group “La Barredora,” linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Bermúdez had been appointed as Secretary of Public Security by then-Tabasco governor Adán Augusto López Hernández, who is currently the leader of Morena’s caucus in the Senate and considered to be very close to AMLO.
The Bermúdez case has sparked a political earthquake nationwide due to the prominent individuals involved, as well as the regional and national scope of the corruption network exposed by the investigations. Straining credulity, López Hernandez claims not to have known of Bermúdez’s past or of military intelligence reports of his criminal activities. AMLO has also minimized the importance of the criticisms of López Hernández.
This situation is a blow to Morena’s pretension to offer the high ground in the fight against corruption in government. The scandal also coincides with multiple reports of an alleged U.S. government list of prominent Mexican politicians with links to organized crime and pressure from Washington for President Sheinbaum to take a tough stand on the issue.
There are two possible scenarios for this situation. The first is that the Mexican government yields to U.S. pressure, with Sheinbaum agreeing to sanction high-level officials and politicians linked to organized crime. The second is that the government does not cede to Washington’s demands, citing a nationalist discourse based on the defense of national sovereignty. The latter scenario is unlikely given the imbalance in Mexico’s relations with the United States and the instruments and mechanisms Washington has at its disposal to wreak havoc in the country’s economic and political life.
For now, Sheinbaum is placing her bets on a broad collaboration agreement with Washington on security, supposedly to be announced this week. No details have been given on its content, but it is doubtful whether it will include the issue of ties between Mexico’s political class and organized crime. This is not an easy dilemma for Sheinbaum, who must contend with the relationship of forces within the Morena camp, pressure from AMLO, and an erratic and difficult-to-predict Donald Trump.
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