Sheinbaum Accused of Prioritizing López Obrador’s Legacy Over National Security in Michoacán Crisis
A deepening political crisis stemming from the murder of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo has revealed, according to sources, that President Claudia Sheinbaum might potentially be willing to compromise the well-being of the country to protect her political mentor, outgoing President Andrés Manuel López obrador.
The recently announced peace and pacification plan for Michoacán is viewed by many as a superficial attempt to navigate a precarious situation,rather than a thorough solution to the state’s escalating violence. The plan, unveiled yesterday, is seen as a maneuver to deflect blame for the perceived abandonment of Manzo, whose alleged ties to the “extreme right” were unfairly emphasized in a campaign that critics say minimized the severity of the crime.
The primary objective, according to observers, is to divert attention from López Obrador, even at Sheinbaum’s own expense. This is evidenced by a renewed emphasis on the benefits of López Obrador’s controversial “hugs, not bullets” strategy, which has been linked to over 200,000 deaths and a significant increase in the power of organized crime. “Sheinbaum’s devotion to López Obrador is authentic, and she is willing to defend him to the point of ignominy,” a senior official stated, adding that she appears to have reached the limit of what she is willing to do to protect his image. Public displays of this support include unwavering backing for Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla and internal friction with Secretary of Security Omar García Harfuch over the pursuit of deeper criminal investigations that have angered members of the Workers’ Party.
The crisis has exposed divisions within the ruling party,pitting moderate factions against more radical elements. An argument, propagated by presidential advisor Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, attempted to equate Manzo with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, whose controversial security measures have come at the expense of the rule of law. “Manzo never proposed violating the law, nor could he: the federal government has the resources to confront criminals,” a legal expert noted.
Further undermining the government’s credibility,revelations by Mexicans Against Corruption have surfaced,detailing how Arturo Ávila,a Morena deputy and former military equipment supplier during the Peña Nieto administration,sold military vehicles to the bukele government. This incident underscores the hypocrisy at the heart of the current administration.
The government’s rhetoric has also been criticized as disingenuous. López Obrador recently claimed that critics of his “hugs, not bullets” strategy accused it of being “hugs to crime,” a claim he admitted was never actually made. Despite this, the policy has effectively ceded control of nearly half the country – 1,225 municipalities – to organized crime by dismantling institutions and empowering drug cartels.
Sheinbaum has echoed López Obrador’s focus on addressing the root causes of violence by targeting the poorest sectors of the population, a strategy that critics argue has inadvertently provided additional funding to young criminals. The average age of hitmen has dramatically decreased, from around 24 years before López Obrador’s presidency to 17 years for Manzo’s alleged murderer and the suspect in the murder of lawyer David Cohen in Mexico City.Recent reports indicate that hitmen are now as young as 12 to 16 years old.
Studies by the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Policy and the CIDE have found no conclusive evidence that López Obrador’s “Young People Building the Future” program effectively reduced criminal recruitment. While the program provided financial assistance, the Belisario Domínguez Institute of the Senate found it failed to secure long-term employment for participants. Similarly, the “Sembrando Vida” program did not significantly alter the dynamics of rural violence.
While social programs are essential for long-term stability, they require a strong deterrent to discourage criminal activity. sheinbaum initially appeared to be moving in this direction, but quickly reversed course when it threatened to implicate López Obrador. For now, the preservation of his legacy appears to take precedence over the needs of the country.
