Mexico Declines President Trump’s Offer for ‘War’ Against Cartels

In the aftermath of a gruesome cartel massacre where gunmen killed nine women and children from a U.S. family and injured several others, Mexico’s president declined the help of U.S. military and security forces to go to “war” with cartels.

During his morning press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) said war is the worst way to deal with cartels and that those who have lived it, know it. The statement came in response to a series of tweets by President Donald Trump, stating that the U.S. was ready to go to “war” upon invitation.

This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019

As Breitbart Texas reported, members of the Lebaron family were traveling the mountainous area between Sonora and Chihuahua, just south of New Mexico when a convoy of gunmen attacked, killing three women and six children while injuring at least six others.

“We thank President Trump and the European governments that want to help, but this is tied to our sovereignty,” Lopez Obrador said claiming that he would have a phone conversation with Trump during the day.

During his conference, Lopez Obrador said there would be no impunity, but war was not the answer. Lopez Obrador claimed in the past that his government will not fight drug cartels with violence, but through economic opportunities and social programs. The approach earned criticism following the failed operation in Culiacan, Sinaloa, when the Mexican military was forced to release one of the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman after gunmen overpowered security forces and threatened to murder innocent women and children.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.