Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Hawkish Rhetoric: Republican Candidates Advocate for Bombing Drug Labs in Mexico
By admin
Published 2 years ago on
September 18, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

During the recent American election season, Mexico has once again become a focal point of Republican rhetoric. This time, however, the discourse has escalated to the point of advocating for military action against Mexican drug cartels. The majority of Republican candidates, during the first primary debate, expressed support for bombing drug labs in Mexico, which are responsible for the production of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis even suggested deploying special forces to Mexico should he win the presidency.

The United States is currently grappling with a fentanyl overdose crisis. Since 2014, the drug has been the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45. In 2021 alone, approximately 70,000 Americans died from synthetic opioids, with fentanyl implicated in the majority of these cases. The drug, which is 50 times more potent than heroin, is primarily sourced from Mexico, where cartels import the necessary chemicals from China and manufacture the drug in secret labs.

More About Politics Than Reality

However, the increasingly aggressive stance of the Republican party towards Mexico is more rooted in politics than in the realities of the drug crisis. Former President Donald Trump is known to have considered missile strikes against Mexican drug labs during his term, and his influence continues to shape the party’s approach. The situation is further complicated by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s denial of fentanyl production in Mexico and his restrictions on the operations of American DEA agents in the country.

Despite the heated rhetoric, cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico on the fentanyl issue has seen some progress. Mexico has recently passed legislation to tighten control over the import of chemicals used in fentanyl production and has joined a UN anti-trafficking program. However, the prospect of military action against Mexico, if pursued, could severely damage relations with America’s largest trading partner.

Read more at The Economist.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Israel and Iran Bombard Each Other, Trump Says He Can ‘Easily’ End Conflict

Israel and Iran Bombard Each Other, Trump Says He Can ‘Easily’ End Conflict

16 hours ago

Trump Vetoed an Israeli Plan to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader, US Officials Say

16 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Fatal DUI Crash on Trimmer Springs Road

A man is dead and three others are injured following a rollover crash Saturday evening on Trimmer Springs Road that investigators say was ca...

14 hours ago

14 hours ago

Fresno Man Arrested in Fatal DUI Crash on Trimmer Springs Road

Mourners pray during the funeral of a Palestinian killed in what the Gaza health ministry says was Israeli fire near a distribution center in Rafah, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 15, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
14 hours ago

Israeli Military Kills 41 People in Gaza, Medics Say

Bullet holes mark the front door of Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman, who was shot alongside his wife, Yvette, in what is believed to be an attack by 57-year-old suspect Vance Luther Boelter, who is also the lead suspect in the shooting deaths of senior Democratic state assemblywoman Melissa Hortman and her husband, Marc, in Champlin, Minnesota, U.S., June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Tim Evans
16 hours ago

Manhunt for Gunman Who Shot Two Minnesota Lawmakers Enters Second Day

Israelis take shelter at the side of a highway as siren sounds following missile attack from Iran on Israel, in central Israel June 15, 2025. REUTERS/Oren Ben Hakoon
16 hours ago

Israel and Iran Bombard Each Other, Trump Says He Can ‘Easily’ End Conflict

President Donald Trump speaks as he attends a military parade to commemorate the U.S. Army's 250th Birthday, on the day of his 79th birthday, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
16 hours ago

Trump Vetoed an Israeli Plan to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader, US Officials Say

18 hours ago

Newsom Wanted To Fast-Track the Delta Tunnel Project. The Legislature Slowed the Flow

19 hours ago

Five Weeknight Dishes: Seven Ingredients or Fewer, Because Summer

20 hours ago

Big Fresno Fair Unveils Second Wave of 2025 Concert Acts

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend