Mexico’s Senate approved putting the National Guard under the command of armed forces. Critics said the move gives too much power to the military over law and order.
The measure passed with 86 votes in favor and 42 against, which met the two-thirds majority needed to amend the country’s constitution. This gives outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador another victory days before his exit on Sept. 30.
When López Obrador entered office in 2018, he hinted at pulling the military back from the streets after years of fighting drug cartels. Now at the end of his six-year term, the military is still there and set to take charge of the National Guard which has around 120,000 members.
Shortly after he took office, López Obrador created the National Guard, which was put under civilian control to ease concerns about the military’s influence over public security.
Through his administration, López Obrador overturned duties that were held by civilians, to the military. Those duties include running a commercial airline and overseeing the country’s ports.
It’s estimated the Mexican military is responsible for 246 more tasks than 15 years earlier.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be the successor of López Obrador, has backed the measures.
