DEA Investigation into AMLO for Financing of Drug Trafficking in 2006 Closed, Foreign Ministry Confirms
The Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers (BCJB) shares a summary of the main news on the border on February 7, 2024.
Contractor for Operation Lone Star May Have Flown Tennessee’s Governor to Support Abbott
Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee, traveled from Nashville, the capital of his state, to Maverick County to support Republican Governor Greg Abbott in his effort to tighten border control and denounce what he describes as the negligence of Joe Biden's government to stop undocumented immigration. Abbot has declared his intention to accompany Donald Trump in his battle to regain the presidency of the United States. Everything seemed somewhat normal since Abbott obtained the support of 13 Republican governors who traveled to Texas to participate in the event. However, a detail caught the attention of the Texas Observer, an independent media based in Austin, which revealed that the private jet in which Lee traveled belonged to one of the leading contractors of the Lone Star operation in Texas. According to records obtained by the Texas Observer, the private jet belongs to Gothams LLC, an Austin contractor that received millions of dollars from Operation Lone Star contracts. The plane left Austin for Nashville, where Lee resides, and then headed to Maverick County. Gothams, run by businessman Matthew Michelsen, has been a major donor to Abbott's campaign. Although it is unknown who funded the flight from Nashville to Maverick County, this incident highlights how promoting Abbott's border agenda is intertwined with public works contracting policy. Gothams has received more than $600 million from the state for COVID-related services and border operations since 2021, and Michelsen has donated generously to Abbott's campaign. This event in Eagle Pass reflects how Abbott's agenda has transformed state management into an extension of his political campaign.
DEA Investigation into AMLO for Financing of Drug Trafficking in 2006 Closed, Foreign Ministry Confirms
According to Zeta magazine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, led by Alicia Bárcena, announced that the White House had closed the investigation into the Sinaloa Cartel's alleged financing of the presidential campaign of Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2006. The US national security advisor. In the US, Elizabeth Sherwood informed President López Obrador that the Department of Justice, including the DEA, has concluded its investigations without finding crimes or consequences. This announcement came after a bilateral meeting where issues of migration, weapons, and fentanyl were addressed. Foreign Minister Bárcena highlighted that the issue, driven by old reports, is no longer of interest to the US, ruling out the need for apologies and reiterating the commitment of both countries to advance their bilateral relationship.
Republican Attempt to Impeach Mayorkas Fails Due to Last-Minute Absences and Defections
Republicans' effort to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, has failed due to an extremely tight margin for errors in vote counting. They needed a solid majority to proceed, but unexpected absences and last-minute defections among their ranks meant the initiative fell short. This setback underscores internal divisions within the party and raises questions about its ability to unify its efforts on key legislative initiatives. The impeachment attempt had been a priority for the most conservative wing of the party, which accuses Mayorkas of inadequately managing border security and immigration policies. However, the lack of unanimous support and the failed strategy have revealed the complexity of actions as drastic as an impeachment trial under the current balance of power.