Updated April 7, 2022
U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation: From the Mérida Initiative
to the Bicentennial Framework
In recent years, escalating violence in Mexico and drug
1. Combating transnational criminal
overdose deaths in the United States have led Congress to
organizations through intelligence sharing and
question the efficacy of U.S.-Mexican security cooperation.
law enforcement operations
Homicides in Mexico reached record levels from 2016 to
2. Institutionalizing the rule of law while
2019, followed by a slight decline during the Coronavirus
protecting human rights through justice sector
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Since 2019, Mexico
reform, forensic equipment and training, and
has replaced China as the primary U.S. supplier of synthetic
police and corrections reform
opioids, which cause a majority of U.S. drug overdoses.
3. Creating a 21st-century U.S.-Mexican border
while improving immigration enforcement in
As Congress deliberates on the future of U.S.-Mexican
Mexico
security cooperation, it may reevaluate the Mérida
Initiative, including implementation of security and rule-of-
4. Building strong and resilient communities by
law initiatives supported by $3.5 billion in congressional
piloting approaches to address root causes of
appropriations. It also may assess the Biden
violence and reduce drug demand
Administration’s FY2023 budget request to support the new
Some analysts praised the wide-ranging cooperation. Others
U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public
criticized the increasing number of priorities the two
Heath, and Safe Communities.
nations adopted. Experts warned it would be difficult in
only eight years for Mexico to implement an accusatorial
Origins of the Mérida Initiative
justice system requiring better evidence collection by police
Prior to FY2008, Mexico did not receive large amounts of
and public trials with oral arguments. Mexico’s Congress
U.S. security assistance, partially due to Mexican sensitivity
established the eight-year transition to a new justice system
about U.S. involvement in the country’s internal affairs. In
in 2008 constitutional reforms.
March 2007, then-Mexican President Felipe Calderón asked
for more U.S. cooperation to fight criminal organizations
Shifting Priorities: FY2018-FY2021
and their cross-border trafficking operations. In response,
President Trump’s executive orders on combatting
the Mérida Initiative, a package of U.S. antidrug and rule-
transnational criminal organizations (E.O. 13773) and
of-law assistance to Mexico, began. As part of the Mérida
enhancing border security (E.O. 13767) refocused the
Initiative’s emphasis on shared responsibility, the Mexican
Mérida Initiative. Updated U.S. priorities included reducing
government pledged to tackle corruption. The U.S.
synthetic drug production, improving border interdiction
government pledged to address drug demand and the illicit
and port security, and combating money laundering. In
trafficking of firearms and bulk currency to Mexico. Both
2019, President Trump praised Mexico’s augmented efforts
governments have struggled to fulfill those commitments.
against illegal migration but criticized Mexico’s antidrug
Initial Phase: FY2008-FY2010
performance in his FY2021 “drug majors” determination.
Congress appropriated $1.5 billion for the Mérida Initiative
Since taking office in 2018, Mexican President Andrés
from FY2008 to FY2010, including $420.7 million in
Manuel López Obrador has criticized the Mérida Initiative
Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which enabled the
and reduced federal security cooperation with the United
purchase of equipment, including aircraft and helicopters,
to support Mexico’s fe
States, with the exception of migration enforcement. In
deral security forces (military and
2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered bilateral
police). Congress required the State Department to withhold
cooperation. In October 2020, the United States arrested
15% of certain U.S. aid for the Mexican military and police
former Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos on drug
until the agency submitted an annual report stating that
charges; the move angered the Mexican government and
Mexico was taking steps to meet human rights
further limited security cooperation. After the United States
requirements. U.S. assistance focused on counternarcotics,
dropped the case and allowed Cienfuegos to return to
border security, and counterterrorism; public security; and
Mexico, President López Obrador exonerated him and
institution building. U.S. intelligence supported Mexico’s
dismissed the U.S. evidence as fabrications. Mexico’s
strategy of arresting (and extraditing) kingpins from each of
Congress enacted a law requiring foreign law enforcement
the major drug trafficking organizations. This kingpin
officials to share information they gather with designated
strategy also fueled intra-cartel violence.
Mexican federal authorities and Mexican state and local
The Four-Pillars: FY2011-FY2017
officials to report contacts with foreign officials.
In 2011, the U.S. and Mexican governments broadened the
President López Obrador enjoys high approval ratings, even
scope of bilateral efforts under four pillars.
though his government has struggled to address homicides
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U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation: From the Mérida Initiative to the Bicentennial Framework
and violent crime. Mexico’s security strategy, released in
2. Prevent transborder crime by reducing
February 2019, focuses on addressing the socioeconomic
arms trafficking, targeting illicit supply
drivers of violent crime. Thus far, López Obrador has
chains, and reducing human trafficking
implemented broad social programs rather than the type of
and smuggling
targeted crime prevention efforts that the U.S. Agency for
3. Pursue criminal networks by disrupting
International Development (USAID) has endorsed.
illicit financiers in both countries and
importers of precursor chemicals and
President López Obrador campaigned against Mexico’s
synthetic drug producers in Mexico,
military-led “war” on criminal organizations but backed
while strengthening security and justice
constitutional reforms to allow military involvement in
Many observers credit the October 2021 security dialogue
public security until 2024. Those reforms came despite a
and the Bicentennial Framework with revitalizing bilateral
2018 Mexican Supreme Court ruling that prolonged
security cooperation. Although some have criticized the
military involvement in public security violated the
framework for deemphasizing institutional reform in
Mexican Constitution. López Obrador initially resisted the
Mexico, others have praised its prioritization of issues such
so-called kingpin strategy employed by his two
as arms trafficking (a top priority for Mexico) and violence
predecessors, but high-level arrests and extraditions
prevention. U.S. officials assert that the framework’s pillars
increased in 2020 until the U.S. arrest of Cienfuegos.
align with the Biden Administration’s broader drug control
priorities, including treating drug addiction through a public
Instead of using the federal police, which received U.S.
health lens, preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals
equipment and training, President López Obrador secured
to illicit drug production, and combating illicit financial
congressional approval of a new National Guard primarily
networks.
composed of military officers. There are concerns about the
National Guard violating human rights. López Obrador has
Congressional Action
asked the Mexican Congress to enact a constitutional
Congress could influence the Bicentennial Framework
reform to make the National Guard a part of the defense
through appropriations, other legislation, and oversight. In
ministry. Human rights and policing experts oppose this
March 2022, Congress enacted the FY2022 Consolidated
move, asserting that military forces are ill suited for civilian
Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-103). The explanatory
policing. Critics also have noted declining investment in
statement designated $158.9 million in assistance to Mexico
state and local police forces, which investigate most crimes.
($42.3 million more than the Administration requested and
equal to the FY2021 allocation), with no withholding
Civil society and the private sector have criticized President
requirements (aid restrictions). For security and rule-of-law
López Obrador for weakening some institutions charged
programs, it provided $100 million in International
with combatting corruption. Mexico’s Congress approved
the creation of an independent prosecutor general’s office
Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) funds
;
administered by the State Department and a portion of the
the individual in that post is the president’s close ally and
$50 million in Economic Support Funds (ESF) managed by
has intervened in cases involving the president’s family,
USAID.
earning a supreme court rebuke. Although federal
prosecutors have slowly pursued corruption cases against
The explanatory statement included a provision from
officials from past governments, they appear to have
H.Rept. 117-84 that prohibits funding to support Mexican
ignored most allegations involving López Obrador’s allies.
military participation in public security and urges support
The government has not implemented the national anti-
for criminal justice reform, human rights protection, and
corruption system required by a 2017 constitutional reform.
crime and violence prevention (pillars two and four of the
Replacing the Mérida Initiative
Mérida Initiative). Other directives require a review of
funds provided through the Mérida Initiative; a report on
The Biden Administration inherited a tense security
funds appropriated to Mexican agencies involved in
relationship with Mexico. President Biden and President
migration management; plans to improve data collection on
López Obrador focused their early dialogues on migration
synthetic drug trafficking; the adequacy of Mexico’s efforts
issues, COVID-19 response, and economic issues. On
to combat human rights abuses; criminality along Mexico’s
October 8, 2021, Mexico hosted the first U.S.-Mexico
northern highways; efforts to combat fentanyl flows; and
High-Level Security Dialogue since 2016, which included
the efficacy of U.S. drug policy.
the participation of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken,
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas,
Congress also is considering the Biden Administration’s
and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
FY2023 budget request, which includes $141.6 million in
bilateral assistance for Mexico. The request includes $64
After the dialogue, the governments announced a new
million (36% decrease from FY2022) for INCLE funds and
Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and
$75 million for ESF funds (50% increase from FY2022)
Safe Communities with three pillars:
that have supported past security and rule of law programs.
1.
See CRS Report R42917, Mexico: Background and U.S.
Protect people by investing in public
Relations; CRS In Focus IF10215, Mexico’s Immigration
health solutions to drug use, supporting
Control Efforts and CRS Report R45199, Violence Against
safe communities, and reducing
Journalists in Mexico: In Brief.
homicides and other high-impact crimes
Clare Ribando Seelke, Acting Section Research Manager
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U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation: From the Mérida Initiative to the Bicentennial Framework

IF10578


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10578 · VERSION 25 · UPDATED

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