The President recalled the operation in Culiacán when the leader of the Sinaloa cartel was captured and later released.
MORELOS Mexico (Agencies) – President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he ordered the release of Ovidio Guzmán after an operation in Culiacán, Sinaloa, in 2019. “I ordered this operation to be stopped and this alleged criminal to be released,” he said.
The President in his morning conference said that “It was decided not to put the population at risk so that civilians would not be affected because they would lose their lives if we did not suspend the operation. More than 200 innocent people in Culiacán, Sinaloa. That’s why the decision was taken. I ordered the procedure to be stopped and that this alleged criminal be released”.
The head of the federal executive said that the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has contacted him to offer help, but has been respectful of the decisions made by the Mexican government.
“What is being done is to defend our sovereign right to decide on the security policy that is applied in Mexico, which was not the case, there was a lot of interference from elements, foreign agencies in Mexico’s internal affairs. I remember that here in Morelos they executed a criminal gang leader, famous in operation and it was known that a United States organization had intervened”.
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“Not only that, the one who was the U.S. ambassador at the time declared that the U.S. government trusted the Navy more than the Army. He got involved in giving his opinion on a matter that only concerns us Mexicans. There was total interference. Not anymore. There are relations of cooperation, but at the same time of respect and the example is given. However, it seems incredible. The one who gives an example is President Donald Trump. In two or three matters that we had talked about because of sensitive issues when it was decided not to put the population at risk, civilians would not be affected. That’s why we suspended the operation in Culiacán, the decision was taken, I ordered the operation to be stopped and this alleged criminal to be released”.
Accompanied by his security cabinet, the President recalled that President Donald Trump spoke to offer support for the failed operation “the same as when the unfortunate events of Bavispe in Sonora, which killed women and children of the LeBaron family, President Trump spoke the same, and the offer was that they would send us agents to help investigate cases and punish those responsible for the crime”.
López Obrador said that his government would not allow any foreign government to meddle in matters that only correspond to Mexican authorities. “That is to respect, to assert our sovereignty. We do not want agreements like the “Fast and Furious” without informing and affecting instead of helping the people. Things are done now differently”.
“This does not mean that there is no cooperation, there is cooperation, but we decide if that cooperation can help as long as our sovereignty is respected.”
