The video explores Mexico's increasing military presence in public life under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Over 100 civilian roles were allocated to the armed forces, impacting not just security but also major Infrastructure projects, like the Maya Train. This significant Militarization is scrutinized amid concerns over rising homicide rates and the potential compromise on public safety.

It delves into the role of the military in non-security areas, revealing how the army, navy, and newly-formed National Guard have assumed significant national projects. Despite some public trust in the military's efficiency, there are serious concerns about breaches in the constitution, as seen with the National Guard's inclusion in the defense ministry, and issues surrounding human rights violations.

Main takeaways from the video:

Please remember to turn on the CC button to view the subtitles.

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. Militarization [ˌmɪlɪtəraɪˈzeɪʃən] - (n.) - The process of equipping or involving a military force in civilian affairs.

What we are having in Mexico is a strong process of Militarization of the public life.

2. Infrastructure [ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃər] - (n.) - The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society.

The armed forces, they are playing a stronger role not only in matters related to security, but also in Infrastructure, building, trains, airports.

3. Ambitious [æmˈbɪʃəs] - (adj.) - Having a strong desire for success or achievement.

This is arguably Lopez Orador's most Ambitious Infrastructure project.

4. Integrity [ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti] - (n.) - The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; soundness.

There are also concerns about the project's environmental impact and the construction's Integrity.

5. Pragmatic [præɡˈmætɪk] - (adj.) - Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

Lopez Obrador is kind of Pragmatic leader.

6. Arbitrary [ˈɑːrbɪtrəri] - (adj.) - Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.

Arbitrary detests la guardia national costos mucho recursos...

7. Detain [dɪˈteɪn] - (v.) - Keep someone in official custody, typically for questioning about a crime.

The National Guard has almost tripled the membership, yet its detaining fewer people...

8. Legitimate [lɪˈdʒɪtəmət] - (adj.) - Conforming to the law or rules; lawful.

The armed forces are by definition, armed corporations that can use the Legitimate violence...

9. Undermine [ˌʌndərˈmaɪn] - (v.) - Erode the base or foundation of something; damage or weaken.

We're actively violating the constitution and we're actively undermining the rule of law.

10. Consolidate [kənˈsɒlɪdeɪt] - (v.) - Make something physically stronger or more solid.

Tenemos que for taliserla y tenemos que consolidarla...

Mexico's Military Expansion Under Lopez Obrador Opportunities and Dangers

They can be seen everywhere, in airports, patrolling beaches and parks, in rural areas and city streets. Mexico's military is now the largest and most powerful it's ever been. During the presidency of Andres Manuel Lopez Sobrador, over 100 different functions of civilian governments or civilian authorities were transferred to the armed forces. What we are having in Mexico is a strong process of Militarization of the public life.

The armed forces, they are playing a stronger role not only in matters related to security, but also in Infrastructure, building, trains, airports. The massive amounts of public funds going into these projects is wholly controlled by the armed forces. But as the new government takes over, citizens are wondering if these Infrastructure works are coming at the expense of public safety. What we are having now is the worst rate of murders in our history.

Widely known as AMLO, President Lopez Obradors tenure has seen record high homicides, something he has addressed in confusing terms. No, I must be a lens. I must omit this. So why is the military building trains and airports, and what does that mean for the countrys security?

We are on the maya train, a 900 miles railway that carves through the yucatan peninsula in Mexico's southeast. This is arguably Lopez Orador's most Ambitious Infrastructure project. About a third of it is being built by the military. In fact, more than half of the defence ministry's budget for 2024 will be spent in building the train. Court orders, cost overruns and derailments have at times stopped construction altogether.

La principal percoupacion es la piedra de balazo que lisa paraformaresta cama sobrila pas et. There are also concerns about the project's environmental impact and the construction's Integrity.

The mexican military is composed of three key forces, the army, the navy, and the National Guard. Founded by AMLO in 2019, the National Guard is a force that President Lopez Obrador created to replace the federal police, which he considered too corrupt to function. The gutting of the federal police was initially welcomed by some.

When we set up the National Guard in 2019, we came in an agreement, the National Guard is a civil body, not a military one. But then in 2022, President Lopez Obrador moved it to the defense ministry, essentially making it a military institution. In 2023, the Mexican Supreme Court declared the move unconstitutional and said that it should be reversed.

But in practice, the National Guard still responds to the defense ministry by transferring them these new functions that belong to civilian authorities. We're actively violating the constitution and we're actively undermining the rule of law. Lopez Abrador views the military as the most trustworthy least corrupt and most efficient institution to carry out the large Infrastructure works that he views as his legacy.

Some data does reflect popular opinion of the military to be good. About 71% of Mexicans say they trust the army and the navy. That's more than the government or the police. Una institution in construction Lopez Obrador is kind of Pragmatic leader. He don't like no as an answer. And the soldier is being trained to answer yes, sir. That is the kind of answer he is looking for. What we are having something that we didn't have in the past.

Now we have a business. Military elite in Mexico. Since Lopez Obrador came to power in 2018, the combined budgets of the armed forces grew by 150%, compared to the federal police that Amlo disbanded. The National Guard has almost tripled the membership, yet its detaining fewer people and seizing less drugs and weapons. We thought the national era will fight federal crimes. Narcotraffic, organized crime, kidnapping.

The rates and the effectivity of the national nagar is so low, we are talking about 50,000 disappearances during the Lopez Alvarador administration. Considering the modern history in Mexico, those are the worst numbers. We used to have a kind of state relationship between the armed forces and the government. Now what we are having is a political relationship, which is really dangerous for our democracy.

The armed forces are by definition, armed corporations that can use the Legitimate violence of the state against any enemy that they define. And having them performing these many functions increases the risks of human rights violations. Arbitrary detests la guardia national costos mucho recursos tenemos que for taliserla y tenemos que consolidarla falta toda villa.

President Lopez Obrador, in a very smart move, changed the constitution to force the next president to actually keep on using the armed forces and the military on public security matters until 2028. And that's going to be very difficult to reverse. Mexico's next president will have to reckon with what Lopez Obrador created, a richer, mightier, and larger military that's more deeply ingrained in private business and government than it's ever been.

Politics, Economics, Global, Militarization, Mexico, Lopez Obrador