MEXICO CITY, Sept. 9 — The United States must do its part in the fight against drug trafficking, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday, following recent revelations of corruption at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
“We insist that they have a very important part to play over there and they shouldn’t just keep pointing the finger at Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her regular morning press conference at the National Palace.
She said Mexico has succeeded in slashing the flow of fentanyl into the United States by more than 70 percent, a figure acknowledged by U.S. authorities, while methamphetamine continues to be produced in the United States, to the point of having inspired a television series.
The United States is also where the distribution of drugs and money laundering take place on a massive scale due to the high rate of drug consumption, she added.
Sheinbaum also noted that Sara Carter, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, has acknowledged that drug abuse in the United States is a public health issue.
In May, Carter’s office released a document in which the U.S. federal government acknowledges the need for a national public health policy to address drug addiction.
Earlier this year, Carter visited Mexico and expressed interest in the Mexican government’s initiatives aiming to tackle the root causes of violence and prevent drug use, including the “Boxing for Peace” program that offers free boxing classes in a bid to promote an active lifestyle and build community. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
