They criticize the lack of accountability of the militia

The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, assumed before the plenary session of the Senate the commitment to promptly inform the Congress of the Union about the actions of the National Guard (GN) and the permanent Armed Forces in public security actions, as ordered by the recently approved constitutional reform on the matter.

“And, yes, you are referring to what will be our action with the Bicameral Commission that derives from the fifth transitory (…) we will be in communication with the deputies, deputies and with the senators that make up this commission to provide the information punctual performance of the members of the National Guard and the accompaniment of the Armed Forces”.

It was the response of the official to Senator Miguel Mancera, who during his appearance before the plenary session for the analysis of the Fourth Government Report of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on matters of public security asked him: “What actions, secretary, will you take to comply with everything that concerns your area of ​​responsibility, with the obligations that derive from the reform of the fifth transitory of the 2019 decree that created the National Guard?

The secretary explained that “it is clear” also, “that we have to contribute so that the local and municipal police are strengthened and that the National Guard and the state police are the ones that comply with the obligation of public security.”

impact on crime

At the beginning of the appearance, the Secretary of Security asserted that in the current administration (since December 2018) “65,149 members of criminal gangs have been captured, including 6,043 from criminal organizations, of which 2,216 were priority targets.”

He added that 32,746 firearms, 17,352,000 cartridges and 2,300 grenades have been seized; 5.2 tons of fentanyl, which, he assured, is almost 1,000% more than “in the last four years of the previous administration.

“With an affectation to the finances of organized crime for more than 41,325 million pesos; 94,551 kilograms of cocaine seized, 139% more than in the last four years of the previous administration, with an impact of more than 22,910 million pesos for organized crime.

“154.1 tons of methamphetamine, which is an increase of 74% compared to the last four years of the previous administration, and losses for organized crime of more than 44,579 million pesos,” he said.

In general, Icela Rodríguez stated that the damage to the finances of organized crime amounts to 674.2 billion pesos, equivalent to about 33.693 million dollars.

Use of the Armed Forces

The first senator to speak was Emilio Álvarez Icaza (without a party), who rebuked the secretary for having become a “spokesperson” for the Armed Forces.

He criticized, in turn, the heads of the Army (Luis Cresencio Sandoval), Navy (Rafael Ojeda) and the commander of the National Guard (Luis Rodríguez Bucio) for not explaining their actions before the Senate.

There are those who still think that demanding accountability from the Armed Forces is a lack of respect, nothing more false and wrong, here is neither in doubt nor at stake, due respect to the Armed Forces that have earned it.

“What is at stake here is the democracy of Mexico, what is at stake is our democracy due to the dangerous and accelerated process of militarization that is taking place, more power, more resources, more impunity. That process is the one that goes against democracy.”

In response to this and other criticisms from senators from the PAN and Movimiento Ciudadano, Icela Rodríguez criticized that although the opposition is reluctant to use the Armed Forces in security, opposition governors have requested their support.

“They ask that the National Guard, the Army and the Navy carry out activities, security tasks in different parts of the country.

“All state governments ask us to establish barracks, but, well, that is what they tell us in trades, in private, by phone calls. 28 governors have requested it this year.”

And he added that “what is not understood is the double discourse that in private they ask the National Guard, the Army and the Navy, and in private they are constantly asking for their intervention, and in public, they constantly denounce the entire cabinet” .

AMLO prevents Sandoval from explaining hacking in the morning

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, prevented, in the morning conference on Wednesday, October 19, that the head of the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) Luis Cresencio Sandoval give any answer about the hacking that the agency suffered, for the Guacamaya hacktivist group.

“They would like us to help them make a big deal about the issue,” said the president, after a question that sought an answer from the Secretary of National Defense.

In addition, the president of Mexico described the issue of the theft of information as “a resounding failure”, since he commented that the media and communicators announced what had happened as the collapse of the federal government.

He expressed that “they would like us to continue talking about it. Nope! That they apply themselves and that they look for another matter”.

The president also indicated that “when there is something like this, they should hurry up and look for it.

“I already told you, it’s not going to be easy. They have investigated me since 1977, the first report I have is from 1978 (…) which said that he was a communist, when he was director of the National Indigenous Institute in Tabasco, ”said the head of the federal Executive.

The presence of the Secretary of National Defense at the morning conference, which took place in Tamaulipas, was to talk about the security situation in said entity.

On the other hand, the president mentioned that the morning conferences are a circular dialogue of communication, of a very good level and not of slander.

“They have nothing to do (the morning conferences) with the dirty war.

“That is journalism with an ethical imperative. It has nothing to do with chayote. This (the morning) is something else; So why do we get into that thing (the hacking of Sedena)?” (Drafting)

politica@eleconomista.mx