Introduction
The adage “the worst foreign policy is domestic” rings true when examining Mexico’s recent diplomatic endeavors. Under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and now Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s foreign policy has been marked by dogmatic and non-statecraft approaches.
Mexico’s Misguided Perception of Peru
Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s current president, continues AMLO’s pattern of diplomacy. Believing that Peru mirrors Mexico, she asserts that in Peru, there is no separation of powers. If any Latin American country exemplifies the cost of divided powers favoring the president, it is Peru.
- Ollanta Humala: money laundering
- Pedro Castillo: self-inflicted coup d’état
- Pedro Pablo Kuczynski: corruption
- Alejandro Toledo: corruption
- Alan García: corruption
- Martín Vizcarra: corruption
AMLO and Sheinbaum have acted imperialistically towards Latin Americans. AMLO was angered by Panama for not endorsing a person accused of sexual harassment. Sheinbaum was upset with the Dominican Republic’s president for not inviting three regional dictators to the cancelled Cumbre de las Américas.
Mexico’s Questionable Allies
AMLO embraced Evo Morales, a democratic violator. In 2016, as Bolivia’s president, Morales organized a referendum to gauge public opinion on his 2019 presidential candidacy. Despite losing, Morales ran for office, causing unrest with fatalities. He remains free, and both AMLO and then-Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed him, presenting him with the city’s keys.
Jorge Glas, an Ecuadorian politician jailed for corruption in the Odebretch case, was also supported by AMLO. Subsequently, President Lenin Moreno breached international agreements by ordering his police into the Mexican embassy.
Peruvian Foreign Minister’s Critique
Hugo de Zela, Peru’s foreign minister, described Mexico’s dogmatic diplomacy as a “parallel reality.” This reality is constructed daily, with the worst-case scenario being Sheinbaum believing Mexico is an imperial power in the region.
Peru recently pushed Mexico closer to the brink, highlighting the lack of leadership from the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (Marcelo Ebrard still at the helm). This loss of direction causes Mexico to lose touch with the world.
While AMLO has mistreated Mexicans, he embraces Latin American leaders with imperial disdain from Palacio Nacional.
Key Questions and Answers
- Why do AMLO and Sheinbaum claim Pedro Castillo and Betssy Chávez are political prisoners? AMLO portrayed Castillo as a humble rural teacher, omitting that he operated from a private office to avoid association with criminals.
- Why was AMLO upset with Panama? Panama did not endorse a person accused of sexual harassment.
- Why was Sheinbaum upset with the Dominican Republic’s president? He failed to invite three regional dictators to the cancelled Cumbre de las Américas.
- Who is Evo Morales and why was AMLO receptive to him? A former Bolivian president accused of democratic violations, AMLO welcomed him despite his controversial past.
- What is the situation with Jorge Glas and Lenin Moreno? An Ecuadorian politician jailed for corruption, AMLO supported him. Moreno subsequently breached international agreements by sending police into the Mexican embassy.
