Another military deployment, another empty promise?
Sedena announces the sending of 1,170 troops -including 270 paratroopers- to Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez and León. They say it is to “reinforce security.” I hear: “more of the same, but with parachutes”.
“The measure seeks to support federal and local forces in the fight against criminal groups”
Curious timing. This comes just after Omar García Harfuch, our Secretary of Security, flew to Washington to have coffee with the DEA and the FBI.
The visit that explains everything
During those meetings – what a coincidence – they talked about “bilateral cooperation” and how to stop traffic to the United States. According to García Harfuch, this collaboration has already borne fruit:
“It has allowed the arrest of several targets included on the FBI’s most wanted list”
They even mention the operation against the CJNG that ended with the death of “El Mencho.” Sounds good on paper. But I wonder: how many “Menchos” have emerged after each fallen leader?
The inconvenient truth is that this deployment coincides with revisions to the T-MEC. Washington presses for results and Mexico responds with soldiers. It’s almost mathematical.
Authorities swear that these troops will do more than surveillance. They will work with the National Guard, Army and Air Force. It sounds impressive until you remember that we’ve been hearing variations of the same script for decades.
Meanwhile, communities in Tijuana, Juárez and León continue to wait for that promised “tranquility.” The numbers change, the uniforms too, but fear in the streets seems to be the only constant.
