Mexico: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Tells Citizens to Reject Gifts From Drug Cartels

In wake of the news that members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) were handing out gifts in public, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador warned people not to accept such holiday handouts.

AMLO confirmed that it was the notorious Jalisco-based gang that did the street giveaway. However, he warned that the giveaway was done so that they could get the support of the local population.

In his press briefing, AMLO stated that this resulted in local communities working to protect drug traffickers, as well as stop drug seizures. This also led some in the local communities to oppose the installation of National Guard bases. These bases are usually for fighting drug cartels.

According to the Associated Press, most of the items handed out to a local Guadalajara community were mostly toys. It happened on December 21, 2022, in one of the Jalisco state capital's poorest neighborhoods, El Retiro.

Another drug cartel that is known for doing Christmas handouts is the Sinaloa Cartel, which allegedly did a "Narco Posada" earlier this month, handing out toys and appliances, as well as raffling out cars. However, local police are saying this did not happen.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Warns That Drug Cartels Just Want to Use People as Shields

AMLO warned Mexicans not to let themselves be manipulated. He said that even if the cartels give them food or other items, they are not doing this out of good faith. Instead, the cartels are using the trust built to turn people into shields.

He explained, "if cocaine is seized, the community comes out and protects the traffickers," thus effectively using them as shields against the law.

According to ARY News, Mexico's two largest and most powerful drug cartels, namely the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, have been handing out food and other gifts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several communities in Western Mexico have been given food handouts by the CJNG, while the Sinaloa Cartel handed out gift boxes with the image of imprisoned leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera in Sinaloa State.

"Since the start of this administration, we knew, it was obvious, it was public record, that criminal gangs were relying a lot on social bases, on people in the communities," said AMLO in his morning press conference.

He also pointed out that this may have also led to demonstrations against the construction of National Guard barracks in Mexico City, with demonstrators saying that these barracks are unnecessary and are likely to "increase violence in the neighborhood."

Drug Cartels Often Give Away Presents to the Populace During Christmas

While the CJNG's and the Sinaloa Cartel's actions managed to raise a few eyebrows, the Daily Mail has pointed out that this is actually a common practice among drug cartels. This is all to "endear" themselves to the locals while they commit atrocities.

Legendary Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, gave away lavish gifts, including houses to poor families in the Medellin slum of Moravia. Like the modern-day Mexican drug cartels, his now-defunct Medellin Cartel used to also deliver gifts ahead of Christmas.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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