Mexico Complains to Biden Over NGO Funding
- Mexico's President to write to U.S. President Biden about funding NGO.
- Funding criticized NGOs have been critical of Mexican government.
- Tension rises between Mexico and the U.S. over NGO financing.
In a recent news conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced plans to formally address U.S. President Joe Biden regarding the financial support provided by his administration to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have been critical of his government. Lopez Obrador revealed that Mexico's Foreign Relations Ministry had already sent a diplomatic note on this matter, marking the second such communication since the first was sent in 2021 without a response. The president specifically highlighted the funding of the NGO Mexicanos Contra La Corrupcion y La Impunidad (Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity) through USAID programs. This organization has gained prominence for its reports on crime and corruption in Mexico, which Lopez Obrador previously cited during his presidential campaign. However, he now perceives the NGO as part of the opposition, accusing it of questioning his administration's integrity and exposing alleged corruption. During the conference, Lopez Obrador's administration also disclosed the personal tax and financial details of individuals who had contributed to MCCI, raising concerns about privacy and ethics. The president expressed that the U.S. government's backing of MCCI constitutes a violation of Mexico's sovereignty and could be interpreted as interference in its electoral processes. As tensions rise over this issue, Lopez Obrador's forthcoming letter to Biden underscores the ongoing friction between the two nations regarding foreign influence and domestic governance.