Does Mexico Have A National Guard? Yes, Mexico has a National Guard, officially established in 2019, to address the country’s security crisis. Explore the intricacies of this security force, its composition, role, and impact on Mexico’s public safety and LGBTQ+ community through gaymexico.net. You’ll gain an understanding of how this force operates and its significance within the broader context of Mexican society.
1. What Is the Purpose of Mexico’s National Guard?
The main goal of the National Guard in Mexico is to deal with security issues all over the country. Even though it was started with a lot of excitement, it hasn’t really made crime or violence go down since it officially started working on July 2, 2019. In fact, March and April of 2020 had the second- and third-highest rates of homicides ever recorded in Mexico. To address the ongoing shortcomings of the National Guard, President López Obrador issued an executive decree on May 11, expanding the power of Mexico’s armed forces to participate in public security tasks.
1.1. What Powers Does the National Guard Have?
The move gives soldiers many of the same duties as civilian police officers, like arresting suspects, protecting crime scenes, and carrying out arrest warrants. The National Guard can do things like check backpacks on the Mexico City metro or work to break up criminal groups. They have the authority to arrest people they suspect of crimes and work with public prosecutors to look into those crimes. The National Guard can also look into common crimes like murder and robbery if the Guard director and local authorities agree.
2. When Was the National Guard Created?
The National Guard was officially created on February 28, 2019, after Mexico’s Congress passed constitutional reforms. The law regulating the National Guard went into effect on May 27. On December 31, 2019, the National Guard took over all federal policing duties.
2.1. Why Was the National Guard Created?
The National Guard was created to assume federal policing functions to address Mexico’s security crisis. This move came a decade after the creation of the Federal Police and 90 years after Mexico’s first federal police force.
Alt text: National Guard members maintain order during a demonstration in Mexico City.
3. Is the National Guard Militarized?
Yes, the National Guard is largely militarized. The majority of its members, leadership, funding, and equipment come from the armed forces. According to a report by the Mexican government, 76% of the National Guard members had been transferred from the army or navy.
3.1. How Does This Affect Its Operations?
This raises concerns about the civilian nature of the force. The first chief of the National Guard is a retired army general, and all of the commanders are former members of the armed forces. The majority of the force’s funding and equipment comes from the armed forces, and each of the National Guard’s recruitment centers are located at army bases.
4. What Is the Role of the National Guard in Public Security?
The National Guard has a wide range of responsibilities when it comes to keeping the public safe. Members of the National Guard may be involved in anything from checking bags on the Mexico City metro to working to dismantle criminal gangs. They can arrest people they think are involved in crimes and work with public prosecutors to look into crimes.
4.1. What Specific Tasks Does the National Guard Perform?
In addition to federal crimes, the National Guard can investigate common crimes such as homicide and robbery if the Guard director has signed an agreement with state or local authorities. The military was in charge of most of Mexico’s federal security efforts even before López Obrador’s executive decree on May 11.
5. How Has the National Guard Been Deployed?
The National Guard was first sent to Mexico’s southern and northern borders to help catch migrants. This was in response to threats and pressure from the Trump administration to stop people from migrating to the United States. The Mexican government reported that it had sent about 12,000 federal agents, including National Guardsmen, to the southern border zone and almost 15,000 federal agents to Mexico’s northern border states.
5.1. What Are the Criticisms of These Deployments?
The National Guard’s use for immigration enforcement has been questioned because it takes the force away from its main security tasks and raises human rights concerns because guardsmen aren’t taught how to deal with vulnerable people like migrants. Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has spoken out against the National Guard for threatening and harassing migrant shelters in Sonora and Coahuila.
6. What Are the Human Rights Concerns Related to the National Guard?
There have been reports of human rights violations committed by members of the National Guard. Between July and November 2019, the CNDH reported receiving 32 complaints of human rights violations committed by members of the National Guard, including accusations of migrant abuse, torture, and arbitrary detention.
6.1. What Specific Violations Have Been Reported?
The CNDH received complaints against the National Guard for accusations of forced disappearance, cruel and inhuman treatment, and arbitrary detention in the first two months of 2020. Members of the National Guard have also been implicated in cases of extortion and have been accused of having ties to organized criminal groups.
Alt text: National Guard forces line up during a ceremony in Mexico.
7. How Is the National Guard Held Accountable?
The guidelines set forth for transferring the Federal Police’s resources to the National Guard stipulate that the National Guard would inherit the Federal Police’s internal affairs unit, along with any of its open investigations. The internal affairs unit had made important progress in strengthening its capacity to carry out effective investigations before the Federal Police was dismantled.
7.1. What Are the Weaknesses in the Accountability Mechanisms?
Despite making steps in the right direction, the internal affairs unit still had its weaknesses. One was that it invested the majority of its time and resources into investigating minor infractions, while largely neglecting more serious irregularities and allegations of abuse. It’s paramount that the internal affairs unit shift its priorities to guarantee accountability for guardsmen who engage in corruption or violate human rights.
8. What Is López Obrador’s Approach to Public Security?
López Obrador’s administration has deepened the militarized nature of public security in Mexico and made civilian policing at the federal level nearly obsolete. He has given the Mexican Army the responsibility of constructing several large-scale development projects, including a new airport near Mexico City, parts of a new train network known as the Mayan Train, as well as 2,700 new banking centers that will form part of the government’s newly created “Bank of Well-Being.”
8.1. How Does This Differ From Previous Approaches?
This is a significant move away from his campaign promises to return soldiers to their barracks and strengthen civilian police forces. While the reforms creating the National Guard stipulated that it should be a civilian force under civilian direction, the majority of the force’s manpower, leadership, funding, and equipment comes from the armed forces.
9. What Are the Concerns About the Militarization of Public Security?
The Mexican government’s increasing dependence on the armed forces for public security tasks has come at the expense of strengthening civilian police institutions. The deployment of Mexican soldiers across the country to patrol streets and crack down on organized crime has also failed to reduce crime and violence. In fact, research shows that the decision to deploy the military to confront organized criminal groups is a primary factor behind the increase in violence in Mexico since 2007.
9.1. How Does This Affect Human Rights?
Militarization has also come at a high cost for human rights in Mexico. Between January 2007 and September 2019, the CNDH issued 159 recommendations for human rights violations perpetrated by members of the armed forces. The recommendations are in response to cases of arbitrary killings, illegal use of force, torture, and forced disappearances.
10. What Are the Alternatives to Militarization?
The best way to address insecurity in Mexico and to combat criminal organizations is to conduct serious investigations that end in convictions and to strengthen civilian police institutions. Police and prosecutors’ offices, not soldiers, are tasked with interacting with the civilian population to prevent crime and violence and to carry out investigations and legal prosecutions.
10.1. What Steps Can Be Taken to Strengthen Civilian Institutions?
López Obrador should take firm steps to strengthen Mexico’s criminal justice and civilian police institutions, as the most effective way of building effective, rights-respecting security policy in Mexico. The constitutional reforms that created the National Guard appeared to take a step in the right direction by establishing that the new force would be a civilian force under civilian leadership, but the López Obrador administration has shown that this commitment only exists on paper.
11. FAQ about the National Guard of Mexico
11.1. What is the National Guard in Mexico?
The National Guard in Mexico is a security force created in 2019 to address the country’s security crisis. It was intended to be a civilian force, but the majority of its members, leadership, funding, and equipment come from the armed forces.
11.2. When was the National Guard established in Mexico?
The National Guard was officially established on February 28, 2019, when Mexico’s Congress passed constitutional reforms. The law regulating the National Guard went into effect on May 27, 2019.
11.3. Why was the National Guard created?
The National Guard was created to take over federal policing duties in order to solve Mexico’s security crisis. This action occurred ten years after the Federal Police was founded and ninety years after Mexico’s first federal police force.
11.4. Is the National Guard a civilian or military force?
The National Guard was designed to be a civilian force under civilian control, the bulk of its workforce, leadership, funding, and equipment are derived from the military.
11.5. What are the primary responsibilities of the National Guard?
The National Guard’s main duties include addressing insecurity throughout Mexico, detaining suspects, securing crime scenes, working with public prosecutors to investigate crimes, and investigating common crimes like murder and robbery when authorized.
11.6. How has the National Guard been deployed in Mexico?
In response to demands and pressure from the Trump administration to halt migration to the United States, the National Guard was initially stationed on Mexico’s southern and northern borders to aid in the detention of migrants.
11.7. What are the criticisms of the National Guard’s deployment for migration enforcement?
The deployment of the National Guard for immigration enforcement has been condemned for diverting the force from its core security tasks. It also raises human rights concerns due to the lack of adequate training given to guardsmen on how to engage with vulnerable people such as migrants.
11.8. What human rights concerns have been raised about the National Guard?
There have been claims of human rights abuses perpetrated by members of the National Guard, including claims of migrant abuse, torture, and arbitrary detention.
11.9. How is the National Guard held accountable for human rights violations?
The National Guard is responsible for upholding the Federal Police’s internal affairs unit, which is responsible for investigating suspected human rights violations. However, there are concerns about the unit’s efficacy and priorities.
11.10. What are the alternatives to the militarization of public security in Mexico?
Alternatives to militarization include undertaking thorough investigations that result in convictions and strengthening civilian police forces. It is also necessary to bolster Mexico’s criminal justice and civilian police organizations.
12. Conclusion: Navigating Mexico’s Security Landscape
Understanding the role and impact of Mexico’s National Guard is crucial for anyone concerned with the country’s security situation, including the LGBTQ+ community. While the National Guard was created to address security concerns, its militarized nature and human rights record raise important questions.
Alt text: A vehicle from the Mexican National Guard patrols a city street, enhancing security presence.
For LGBTQ+ travelers and residents, staying informed about these issues is essential for ensuring personal safety and well-being. For more information, LGBTQ+ resources, and travel tips, visit gaymexico.net. We offer a comprehensive guide to help you navigate Mexico’s diverse and vibrant culture while staying safe and connected.
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