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By: EFE
The Mexican government published this Thursday the rules to limit the work of the United States Drug Control Agency (DEA, in English) and other foreign security agents after a month of the reform of the National Security Law.
The presidency issued the new “guidelines that regulate the relationship of public servants with foreign agents “In the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) that will come into force this Friday, just five days before the change of Administration in Washington.
“ Foreign agents who commit crimes or infractions for violating the Legal provisions that prohibit them from exercising functions reserved to the Mexican authorities will not enjoy any type of immunity , warn the new rules.
The new rule requires foreign agents to accredit themselves to the to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) with the endorsement of the Secretaries of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), National Defense (Sedena) and Navy (Semar).
Also forces embassies and foreign missions to share information with “a significant impact on the life of the country, which represents a threat to national security or that refer to alleged criminal conduct of Mexican public servants or former public servants. ”
The agencies of the Mexican Government “must receive a monthly report from the foreign embassies accredited in Mexico, regarding bilateral cooperation agreements in security matters and that contribute to preserving national security”, establishes the regulations.
15 _ 14 _ 2021 Guidelines that regulate the relationship of public servants with foreign agents. https://t.co/SH3R6XWBRy
– Official Gazette DOF (@DOF_SEGOB) January 01, 2021
The guidelines are published after the Congress of Mexico approved the 15 December reform of the National Security proposed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to regulate foreign agents.
Although the legislation applies to all countries, the president and his party, the leftist National Regeneration Movement (Morena), have admitted that it will have special repercussions for the DEA and other United States agencies.
The president proposed the reform after the diplomatic friction over the arrest of General Salvador Cienfuegos, head of the Mexican Army of 2012 to 2018, arrested in Los Angeles on 15 October following an investigation by the DEA.
The López Obrador government complained to Washington for not sharing information on the Cienfuegos case and arranged for his release last November, when he returned to Mexico without charge.
In the guidelines published this Thursday, Mexico recognizes the validity of the memorandum of understanding known as the “Brownsville-Mérida Agreement” signed in 1998 with the United States, but still warns of the need to comply with the new legislation .
“The validity of the bilateral commitment to previously communicate, make inquiries and report on activities of foreign agents is recognized in particular,” stipulates the text.
The new guidelines will be one of the first challenges for the new management of Joe Biden, who next 20 will assume the presidency of the United States with the promise of a more institutional relationship with Mexico than Donald Trump had.
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