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Sheinbaum’s bind gets tougher

At least a dozen Mexican lawmakers – including members of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party – have reportedly offered to be informants to the United States as part of Washington’s investigations into elected officials’ alleged collusion with cartels. Sheinbaum has denounced the investigations, using them as a rallying cry for her left-wing party. However, the Mexican leader doesn’t want to anger the White House for two main reasons: she wants to stave off a potential US strike on cartels, as a US hit on Mexican land will not go down well among the Mexican public, and to ensure that Washington maintains free trade (the US buys some 80% of all Mexico’s exports). Reports of lawmakers cooperating with investigators will only further increase Washington’s leverage over Sheinbaum, meaning she might have to sacrifice her standing with her own party to retain good standing with the White House.