translated from Spanish: 30 to 35% of Mexico controlled by organized crime: EU; AMLO denies it

Last Tuesday, at a press conference from the U.S. Pentagon, the head of the country’s Northern Command, General Glen VanHerck, found that 30 to 35% of Mexican territory is controlled by criminal organizations.
The testimony came after he was questioned about the increased passage of migrants on their southern border. 
Faced with this, he mentioned that there was a major problem – and symptom – that motivated people to leave Mexico and countries in both Central and South America to migrate to the US: criminal groups.
“Drug trafficking, migration and human trafficking are all symptoms of transnational criminal organizations, which usually operate in areas that are not governed, in 30 to 35% of Mexico, creating some of the things we deal with at the border.”
Read also: AMLO Security Act ‘Benefits Organized Crime’ Says US Prosecutor
Glen VanHerck added that he would not get involved in politics, or call the situation crisis or not, but he said the United States needs “a secure border and know who is coming.”
He further assured that countries such as China and Russia take advantage of this situation to infiltrate U.S. territory.
For his part, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, president of Mexico, denied these statements when questioned about them at this Thursday’s morning conference.
“It is not true what is sustained, but we respect the opinions of all. We’re going to continue to have good relations with the U.S. government, we’re not going to fight (…) President Biden is very respectful.”
The representative noted that even if intellectuals were asking the U.S. president to intervene in the country and scold him, Mexico would not get into the affairs of the neighboring nation.
“Respect for the right of others is peace,” López Obrador concluded.
What we do at Animal Politics requires professional journalists, teamwork, dialogue with readers and something very important: independence. You can help us keep going. Be part of the team.
Subscribe to Animal Politics, receive benefits and support free journalism.#YoSoyAnimal

Original source in Spanish