On 2 June Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador again accused the US government of financing local organisations that he says are opposed to his government.
Analysis:
The López Obrador government has already sent a formal diplomatic protest note to the US complaining about this and demanding an explanation, which has yet to receive any response. By raising the issue again López Obrador may be trying to shore up support for the ruling Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) party ahead of the 6 June midterm federal legislative, state, and municipal elections. But coming just days ahead of an official visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris to Mexico, the accusations could become a source of diplomatic tensions and raise US concerns about democracy in Mexico.
- López Obrador has complained that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funding for civil society organisations such as anti-corruption NGO Mexicanos contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI), which are critical of his government. López Obrador says that the likes of MCCI are run by his political opponents and their aim is to destabilise his government.
- López Obrador argues that by financing these organisations the US government is meddling in Mexican political affairs. Claiming that this is a violation of Mexico’s sovereignty, López Obrador has demanded a full explanation and for the funding to be stopped. López Obrador touched on the issue again yesterday in his morning press briefing.
- Confirming that his government has yet to receive an official response for the protest note, López Obrador insisted that the US must refrain from interfering in Mexico. “We are awaiting a response… it is regrettable that the US has not taken our request seriously, but we will respectfully insist that they don’t finance political groups in Mexico”, López Obrador said, adding that “this is not right…particularly during an election”.
Looking Ahead: Harris is due to arrive in Mexico on 7 June. López Obrador has said that he does not intend to address this issue with her because it is not part of the set agenda. But she may decide to broach the matter herself and remind López Obrador of the US’s commitment to consolidating democracy around the world by supporting civil society groups that hold their governments to account.