Deep Dive | Episode 11 | Calderón to the trash bin of history; next is Andrés Manuel López Obrador

El Reportero

Felipe Calderón's administration was already in the trash bin of history, but now it’s confirmed: it was a narco-presidency. Oh, what a surprise! We already knew, we saw it, we realized it. The only thing that happened was that, unfortunately, the U.S. confirmed that this administration openly collaborated with the Mexican cartels, facilitating the drug trade.

What a great revelation! But at last, it's where it belongs, in the place it deserves. Calderón’s futile attempts to defend himself sound ridiculous. It’s amusing to see how many PAN members are now distancing themselves from him, when they once praised him as the best president Mexico had ever had.

"Oh, how they missed those times when the drug traffickers were fought," they used to say. Now, they're silent. Some are even demanding explanations, like Marko Cortés, who is asking Calderón to account for his actions. How brave! But that’s how PAN members are, what can I tell you?

What’s next? Logic would dictate that the next administration to be scrutinized should be that of Enrique Peña Nieto. It was also clear how his administration facilitated drug trafficking. Although there were clashes and casualties, especially from the Army and police, Peña Nieto’s government turned a blind eye.

This is where the detention of General Cienfuegos comes into play. The U.S. had enough "evidence," or rather rumors from drug traffickers, to try to prosecute him. But someone intervened for him, and that someone was, you guessed it, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. I’m not making this up, it’s in the official documents: U.S. prosecutors dropped the case due to foreign policy concerns, and Cienfuegos was returned to Mexico with honors.

So, what follows in this logic? Well, now it's López Obrador's administration. Unlike his predecessors, this president has left a trail of evidence that shows his government allowed the cartels to grow. His "hugs, not bullets" policy has contributed to the fentanyl flood in the U.S., a crisis still claiming lives.

But, let’s be clear: in García Luna's case, during Calderón's administration, he was convicted solely on the testimonies of drug traffickers, without concrete evidence. The supposed millions of dollars he allegedly received never surfaced. Nor were the allegations made by López Obrador's administration, about the 700 million pesos García Luna supposedly diverted, ever proven.

We could have learned a lot from the Cienfuegos case, but those were also just drug trafficker rumors. There was no solid evidence, yet they almost convicted him. He was saved thanks to López Obrador’s intervention with Donald Trump.

Now, the next in line is Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Unlike the previous presidents, he has left clear evidence: the greeting to El Chapo’s mother, Ovidio’s release, the "hugs, not bullets" policy, and other actions he himself has acknowledged.

Let’s not forget the statement from the protected witness revealed by journalist Tim Golden, a Pulitzer Prize winner, not just any person. Also, the interview with the leader of the Ardillos Cartel, who openly stated, "We grew under López Obrador." And, of course, the famous letter from "El Mayo" Zambada, in which he says the Morena administration was in total agreement with the drug trade.

For less than that, García Luna was convicted, and Cienfuegos was almost prosecuted. The U.S. agenda is clear: they are closely following Mexico’s narco-soap opera. The García Luna show is over, and now comes the show of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration, brought to you by our "producer and director," Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.