A report citing leaked classified documents posted online led Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to accuse the Pentagon of espionage against his government. The leak included highly sensitive intelligence material that exposed information on the war in Ukraine and revealed that the U.S. conducts surveillance on its allies and foes.
In a report based on 300 photos of classified documents that The Washington Post obtained and did not make available to the public, a leaked U.S. military assessment revealed a conflict between Mexican military branches, specifically the Army and Navy, over airspace control.
AMLO, as López Obrador is sometimes called, pledged Tuesday to implement tighter safeguards on Mexico’s classified information in response to a potential threat from Biden’s administration.
Bloomberg reported that the Mexican president told reporters they would deal with information from the Navy Secretary and the Secretary of Defense since they did not want to be subject to espionage by the Pentagon. He also said DEA information is being leaked by a number of media outlets in Mexico.
According to Reuters, López Obrador called the U.S. intelligence contained in the leaks an “abusive, overbearing intrusion” that should not be tolerated. The López Obrador added that he had no plans to reprimand his northern neighbor but would at some point discuss “conditions for collaborative work.”
Even though the Washington Post reported there was no evidence the briefing came from U.S. wiretaps or intercepts of Mexican authorities, the report was not well received by López Obrador, who has criticized the Biden administration. Currently, there is a tense relationship between the two neighboring countries, particularly over illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and the abduction and murder of U.S. tourists in Matamoros last month.
López Obrador also criticized the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump in the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg against the 2024 Republican frontrunner. According to the Mexican president, legal issues should not be used for electoral or political purposes. The Mexican president disagreed with Biden’s administration’s treatment of former President Trump.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on the leaked document and its impact on U.S. allies. Blinken said that from what he has heard, there is an appreciation for the measures being taken. Blinken also stated that he has seen nor does he believe that the leak has hindered cooperation between allies.
Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old National Guardsman from North Dighton, Massachusetts, was detained by federal agents last week and charged under the Espionage Act for posting classified information on Discord.
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