The US government is urging Mexico to crack down on politicians allegedly linked to organized crime, with Washington threatening to impose further tariffs if the country fails to act. The pressure comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to combat corruption and reduce the influence of cartels in Mexico.
Sources close to the matter reveal that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team have raised concerns about politicians from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s own Morena party, calling for action against them. The meetings, which have not been previously reported, took place on at least three separate occasions, with the most recent one occurring in Washington on February 27.
The US officials reportedly warned Mexico that failure to take action could lead to further tariffs being imposed on Mexican goods. This is a significant escalation of tensions between the two countries, which had already seen Mexico agree to extradite 29 cartel figures to the US in late February.
Sheinbaum’s government faces significant challenges in taking action against high-ranking officials suspected of links to organized crime. Many serving state governors and federal lawmakers are immune from prosecution for most crimes, and can only be charged with serious federal crimes like drug trafficking or racketeering if authorized by Mexico’s Congress.
The US has long accused Mexico of protecting politicians alleged to have ties to the cartels, and is now pushing for a more comprehensive crackdown on narco corruption. The pressure includes demands for more thorough inspections of U.S.-bound cargo and travelers at the US-Mexico border.
In a significant move, Washington also floated the idea of appointing a US fentanyl czar to liaise directly with Sheinbaum’s administration on progress in combating the deadly synthetic opioid.
The Mexican government has so far declined to comment on the talks, while the White House and various US government agencies have also refused to respond to questions from Reuters. The pressure is mounting for Mexico to take decisive action against politicians suspected of links to organized crime.
Source: Reuters
