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AMLO assures that the head of the DEA “exaggerated” about the alleged delay in visas for US agents

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By The opinion

May 9, 2024, 12:42 PM EDT

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, stated this Thursday that Anne Milgram, head of the United States Anti-Drug Agency (DEA), “exaggerated” by saying that the Mexican Government has not given 13 visas to its agents to work in the country.

“I think he exaggerated, with all due respect, these are procedures that have to be done.”Before, they didn’t do any paperwork, the agents they wanted came in,” said the president during his morning conference.

The Mexican president thus referred to the statements of Milgram, who this week during an appearance before the United States House of Representatives, stated that They have been waiting eight months for Mexico to deliver 13 visas to DEA agents seeking to work in the country to combat criminal groups.

In this regard, López Obrador stated that the permits have already been approved and that his Government has “no interest” in denying visas to officials, but argued that it is important to understand that “Mexico is an independent country and there are certain rules that exist.” to follow.”

“That is, they have already been approved, that is, They were approved before she testified, what happens is that how are they going to the Senate or are they going to appear?”I don’t know, the accreditations had already been delivered,” he noted.

He said that in January of this year four visas were delivered and in April the remaining ones “but Milgram complained anyway.”

AMLO assures that head of the DEA
Anne Milgram, head of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA.
Credit: Susan Walsh | AP

Despite the criticism, the president denied that the official had lied. Rather, she considered, she was not informed about the delivery of the documents.

“Perhaps the report had not arrived because they also take time there in the procedures”he emphasized.

He recalled that on Wednesday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) in a statement regretted Milgram’s statements and clarified that Mexico complies with article 69 of the National Security Law, which establishes a specific procedure for the accreditation of law enforcement agents. foreign.

Likewise, López Obrador said that now the main task of Mexican leaders is to find a way to maintain a good economic relationship with the United States.

“Because economic integration is convenient for both nations to strengthen us, not break us, because we complement each other, we need each other (…) It matters to us, because it means investment, it means jobs,” he noted.

With information from EFE.

Keep reading:
– Director of the DEA launches against Mexico for delaying 13 visas of its anti-drug agents
– Mexico responds to the DEA and clarifies the process to approve visas for agents
– They are ghosts for the DEA: There are 83 drug traffickers whose trace was lost in Mexican territory.