U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking while on a trip to Ecuador, criticized Mexico’s efforts to combat organized crime, saying the country has not done what is “sufficient” to confront the drug cartels operating within its borders.
Rubio’s comments come amid ongoing tension between Washington and Mexico City over how to handle the cartels responsible for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. U.S. officials have repeatedly pressed Mexico to intensify its crackdown on these criminal organizations, which have been blamed for a significant share of the drugs entering American communities as well as for widespread violence within Mexico itself.
Ecuador, where Rubio made the remarks, has also grappled with a surge in cartel-related violence in recent years, as transnational criminal networks tied to Mexican and Colombian trafficking groups have expanded their footprint in the country. The choice of location for Rubio’s statement underscores how drug trafficking and cartel violence have become a hemispheric concern, not just a bilateral U.S.-Mexico issue.
Mexican officials have previously pushed back against similar criticism from Washington, arguing that their government has taken significant steps against organized crime while also stressing the need for the U.S. to address its own role in arms trafficking and drug demand.
For the full details of Rubio’s remarks and the broader diplomatic context, read the original report at jornada.com.mx.
Source: "México no hace lo 'suficiente' para enfrentar a los cárteles", dice Rubio desde Ecuador (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: hoyasmeg, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).