In the face of mounting criticism, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has staunchly defended his proposal to issue an executive order transferring control of the National Guard (GN) to the Defense Ministry (Sedena).
The GN was established in 2019 as a civilian police force, replacing the federal force (Policia Federal) that the incoming government deemed overly corrupt, and not fit for purpose.
However, military involvement in the new force quickly took effect. High-ranking military personnel were assigned to command GN bases around the country, and 80 percent of its 110,000 elements have been transferred from the armed forces, with only a minority coming from the civilian sector.
Senators and legislators from opposition parties expressed outrage at AMLO’s planned move.
Independent senator Emilio Álvarez Icaza challenged the president’s legality in bypassing Congress and issuing an executive order, noting that the GN was created through a constitutional reform, and any subsequent change in its function or administration must also be put to a vote, requiring a two-thirds majority in both houses.
Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) senator Xóchitl Gálvez said she expected her party to take the matter to the Supreme Court.
Lilly Téllez, another PAN senator, ridiculed AMLO, noting that he had gone from “no militarization” during his campaign, to “total militarization” in the space of a few years. She said the president had become “drunk with power.”
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