The United States responded to AMLO's accusations for the report on human rights in Mexico

Photo: Francisco Guasco / EFE

WASHINGTON – The Department of State defended this Tuesday his annual report on human rights in the world after the criticism received by the Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorto whom he replied that the United States government does not sweep “problems under the rug.”

The vice spokesman of the Department of State, Vedant Patel, expressed himself thus about the report of human rights at a press conference after López Obrador accused the United States of lying and of believing that it is “the government of the world” with that report.

“We have never said that we are the government of the world or anything of this type,” replied Patel, who recalled that the Department of State is required to prepare this document for Congress each year.

The deputy spokesman stated that “the participation of members of the police, the Army and other institutions in serious acts of corruption and arbitrary murders pose a challenge for Mexico and that is why it appears in the report.”

“We have never hinted that we don’t have our own internal challenges,” Patel continued, who nevertheless stressed that Washington is not trying to “sweep them under the rug.”

The official claimed that The United States “has worked for decades to strengthen respect for human rights,” a task that is part of “American values”.

In the 2022 report released Monday, United States expresses concern for the high impunity in Mexico, for the participation of authorities in crimes and for the accusations of López Obrador against journalists and activists.

“It is not true, they are lying, it is pure politicking, with all due respect. It is that it is their nature, they do not want to abandon the Monroe Doctrine and before the so-called Manifest Destiny, they do not want to change, so they believe they are the government of the world, “replied the president of Mexico on Tuesday.

Lopez Obrador said that in the State Department they are “liars” and highlighted the case of the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, wanted in the United States for revealing confidential information.

“Hey, why don’t you release Assange if you’re talking about journalism and freedom?” he said.

López Obrador also reacted to the report that Mexico’s efforts against drug trafficking had “limited results.”

From the White House, the government spokeswoman, Karin Jean-Pierre, pointed out in her daily press conference that the problem of illegal fentanyl trafficking is not just a US problem, but is “global” and affects other places like Mexico.

He pointed out that his country sees the relationship with the neighboring nation as “vital” and recalled that President Joe Biden visited Mexico in January to meet with López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“It was a very good summit, with good bilateral talks when they had the opportunity during the summit, so we are going to try and continue to grow that relationship,” Jean-Pierre said.

The State Department’s annual report on human rights around the world serves as a guide to Congress in determining the foreign aid granted to each nation.

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