Military Off Streets Among AMLO's Governmental Plan

Newly elected President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), held an over-four-hour-long meeting with his team in order to establish a plan of action for his presidency. Among the most important changes, is to reform the approach taken on security matters which includes the relief of military forces out of the streets. 

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Alfonso Durazo, who is proposed to be the new Public Security Secretary, said that budget priorities will be redefined in order to generate resources for the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the police force. A new police training and professionalization plan will be created, which will allow improving the force capabilities, and take the military off the streets.

This comes as an important shift in the public security agenda and approach.

During Felipe Calderon's term (2006-2012), Mexico engaged in a "war on drug trafficking." In 2008 Mexico signed the Merida Initiative (also known as Merida Plan), an agreement with the United States to invest US$1.6 billion, mainly in technology and equipment.

This meant a militarized war against trafficking cartels, that claimed over 150,000 lives between December 2006 and August 2015, some of the main drivers of the abysmal violence are Mexico’s armed forces.

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After the four-hour meeting, AMLO said that he and his staff will work on 35 proposals during the transition period until he is officially sworn in as the new Mexican president. The proposals are based on the improvement of living conditions for the Mexican people and include scholarships for young people, pensions for the elderly and the revision of oil contracts. 

Olga Sanchez Cordero, a member of AMLO's transition team and possible Governing Secretary, said that she will focus on action plans linked to security, migration and human rights.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will take office on December 1st, 2018 and will govern until 2024.