The creation of the National Guard has led to militarization of Mexico
To combat the crisis of violence in Mexico, President López Obrador dissolved the Federal Police in 2019 and promoted the creation of a civilian National Guard.
The president of the association Causa en Común, María Elena Morera, assured that after 3 years of the creation of the National Guard the advance of militarization in Mexico is worrisome due to the risk that this police force will be legally incorporated into the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena).
"The National Guard began with a lie, the reform that gave rise to the National Guard stipulates that it must be a civilian corporation. Three years after its creation, it is clear that it is a military corporation directed by the Armed Forces and it is changing from a civilian culture to a militaristic one", denounced the activist in a press conference.
Presenting the report "National Guard: 3 years of the militaristic definition", Morera recalled that the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador has increased the presence and power of the Armed Forces not only in public security tasks, "but in many others that do not correspond to them".
Among them is the construction of infrastructure, distribution of fertilizers, operation of customs, transfer of money from social programs, distribution of vaccines, distribution of textbooks, and delivery of gifts, among others. The concern is that the definition of this police force has changed, as it has been given military powers.
The law is not being complied with
To combat the crisis of violence in Mexico, President López Obrador dissolved the Federal Police in 2019 and promoted the creation of a civilian National Guard.
The constitutional reform with which it was created establishes that within 5 years, during which the National Guard is consolidated, the president can dispose of the Armed Forces for public security tasks in an "extraordinary and complementary" manner.
However, the report stated that this police force does not have a civilian character, which is now to be formalized with the President's reform proposal to make it part of the Sedena.
The General Law of the National Public Security System establishes that the members of the National Guard must comply with professionalization as civilian police officers, however, it does not happen. "Out of four exams that the members of the National Guard must fulfill, only 30% of the elements have complied," she pointed out.
Urgent changes are needed
Morera asked to guarantee that the National Guard be a civilian corporation, for which the reform that seeks to incorporate this group into the Army must be avoided.
She also recommended creating a federal investigation and intelligence police and guaranteeing that in 2024 the president's promise to return the Armed Forces to their barracks is fulfilled.
Finally, security analyst Alejandro Hope regretted that the National Guard continues to be an "extension of the Armed Forces" and urged that the reform proposed by the President should not be approved, as it would make this situation official and would end up losing the essence of the police group.
