An Australian academic says the United States policy of sending illegal immigrants and asylum seekers across the border into Mexico should be reconsidered as “Mexico is no longer a safe place to go”.
Luis Gomez Romero said recent events in Mexico “had split the social fabric” of the nation.
He was referring to the recent death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (also known as El Mencho) in a firefight with security forces.
Oseguera Cervantes (pictured) headed an extensive criminal network in the country, responsible for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States.
In many ways is operated as a state-within-a-state in Mexico and regularly carried out attacks and assassinations against Government officials.
The organisation he headed immediately responded to his death with violence in many parts of the country, blocking roads and setting fire to vehicles.
Commentators fear that Oseguera Cervantes’ death will spark a power struggle among his lieutenants, plunging Mexico into chaos.
Several foreign governments have urged their citizens to leave and Australia has issued a warning against travel to Jalisco State, the epicentre of the current violence.
Romero, an advisor to former Mexican President Vicente Fox, also said US President Donald Trump had tightened his control over Venezuela’s Interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, after the seizure of President Nicolas Maduro in a US raid.
“When the President is removed, there should be new elections in 30 days, but Rodriguez has got round that by saying Maduro is still President even though he is in custody in the US,” Romero said.
“Trump has successfully sidelined the popular Opposition Leader, Maria Corina Machado, who remains in exile.
“He is also using his embargo powers to choke off Cuba from Venezuelan oil, causing widespread chaos and misery in that country – it is criminal.”
Romero said Trump’s actions on the world stage were giving the international community a taste of what Latin America had had to put up with from successive US administrations over more than a century.
