A sweeping foreign aid freeze ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump has brought a vital anti-narcotics program to a halt in Mexico, leaving the country's ports vulnerable to drug cartels smuggling fentanyl and other illicit chemicals, according to sources (via Reuters).
The U.N.'s Container Control Programme, which has been equipping Mexican authorities with the tools to screen cargo at ports like Manzanillo, was recently cut off, stalling plans to extend the program to other critical ports. This freeze impacts efforts to block Chinese fentanyl precursors and other illegal substances from entering Mexico, which cartels use to fuel the U.S. opioid crisis.
While the Trump administration maintains that the move is part of broader border security measures, experts are concerned that the suspension of this program, which had already helped seize tons of illegal chemicals, could exacerbate the fentanyl epidemic. For now, it remains to be seen whether this freeze will impede broader anti-narcotics strategies aimed at curbing the flow of illegal drugs.