Los Cabos, BCS. _ The recent arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency of United States for the second time poses an urgent challenge for the Sea of Cortés RegionThe company must take measures to strengthen the socioeconomic conditions of the territory.
Driven by a large majority and with an agenda centered on anti-immigration policies and security, the new Trump administration poses a threat to the social and economic well-being of the Northwest states of Mexico.
"For years there has been a concern about security in Mexico and its various facets, especially in the legal economies that are affected," said Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Security, Strategy and Technology, during the Safe and Peaceful Cities panel at Summit 2024 organized by Foro Mar de Cortés.
Felbab-Brown warned that if Trump implements his anti-immigration plans, large numbers of people could move into northern Mexico, causing an economic and political crisis in border states such as Baja California and Sonora.
The solution is not for Mexico to reject migrants, but rather to build a security agenda that is of interest to the Trump administration and will allow it to curb its intentions, he stressed.
Eduardo GuerreroGuerrero, director of intelligence agency Lantia Intelligence, agreed with Felbab-Brown that one of the main concerns for the United States is violence in Mexico. Trump has proposed combating criminal organizations with high-caliber operations and weapons, which, according to Guerrero, would exacerbate the problem.
In the face of this threat, Mexico has the opportunity to develop a solid strategy against criminal organizations seeking to control territories in the country.
"Boldness and courage are needed to fight crime," said Guerrero, who emphasized the urgency of a comprehensive security plan that includes dismantling economic networks and disarming criminal organizations. As an example, he cited the case of Sinaloa, where an intense confrontation between groups of the so-called Sinaloa Cartel persists.
Both experts pointed out that improving conditions in the country requires addressing not only security, but also strengthening the rule of law, raising the quality of life of citizens and becoming actively involved in the formation of public policies.
"There are core Trump promises that are destructive to Mexico, because the U.S. is concerned about the lack of checks and balances in Mexico," said Vanda Felbab-Brown.
In conclusion, the investigators made the following recommendations to the Sea of Cortez Forum:
- Collaborate with local and national governments to design an immediate plan that is aligned with the Trump administration on immigration issues.
- Combat organized crime through intensive use of intelligence.
- Weaken the cartels by disarming and attacking their economic networks.
- Implement a territorial recovery policy to prevent crimes such as extortion.
These actions, they argued, are crucial for Mexico to resist the policies of the new U.S. administration and strengthen its internal stability.
