Trump: Cartels Control Mexico, Politicians Fear Them

Washington, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump accused Mexican drug cartels on Wednesday of exerting “tremendous control” over Mexico, its politicians, citizens, and elected officials, though he provided no evidence to support the claim. The remarks came during the signing of the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl (HALT) Act at the White House.

Allegations of Cartel Dominance

Trump asserted that cartels wield significant influence over Mexico, stating, “The cartels have very strong control of Mexico.” He emphasized that the U.S. “cannot allow that to happen” but did not address the role of domestic drug distributors in the U.S. He further claimed, without substantiation, that Mexican authorities are “terrified” and “petrified to show up at their offices or go to work.”

The president singled out the Sinaloa Cartel as “one of the toughest cartels that exists, the biggest,” accusing it of distributing record amounts of fentanyl seized by U.S. authorities in May. He also referenced Ovidio Guzmán, a Sinaloa Cartel figure who avoided prison after becoming a protected witness by pleading guilty.

New Fentanyl Variant and Sanctions

Trump warned of a more toxic variant of fentanyl, allegedly developed by cartels to circumvent legal restrictions, which he said is 100 times more potent than the original.

In a related move, Trump announced a 30% tariff on Mexican and European Union (EU) goods, set to take effect August 1. He justified the measure by citing Mexico’s failure to curb drug trafficking, calling cartel members “the most despicable people ever to set foot on Earth.”

“The fentanyl crisis is partly caused by Mexico’s failure to stop the cartels,” Trump said. “I’ve worked to secure the border, but it’s not enough. Mexico still hasn’t stopped the cartels from trying to turn all of North America into a drug trafficking playground. Clearly, I can’t let that happen.”