Mexico Anger Over U.S. Funding for Anti-Corruption NGO

Mexico expressed anger on Wednesday over U.S. funding to an anti-corruption nonprofit organization.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has said he plans to send a diplomatic note to the U.S. government over donations made to the Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity, by American foundations.

“I think that there is open intervention by the U.S. government in the sovereign affairs of Mexico,” López Obrador said on Wednesday. In 2021, López Obrador sent a similar note of protest to the U.S. government, however the U.S. State Department rarely comments on diplomatic correspondence between the two nations.

During a press briefing, López Obrador showed documents showing funding for the nongovernmental organization (NGO), with a $685,000 donation coming from U.S. charitable foundations.

Additionally, López Obrador showed another donation worth $5 million allegedly coming from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is run by the U.S. State Department.

During his press briefing, the Mexican president said “I am sure he has not been informed about this situation,” while speaking about U.S. President Joe Biden.

López Obrador previously sent Biden a letter about his concerns on this issue in 2023.

Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity has previously denied that it is affiliated with any political parties. The group, which monitors government spending and programs for potential abuses, was established three years before López Obrador took office. It has been critical of previous administrations and other political parties.

Claudio X. González, the founder of Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity has previously endorsed political candidates. The organization has released reports criticizing several of López Obrador’s key projects, including the cancellation of a partially built Mexico City airport and the expensive construction of a tourist train around the Yucatan Peninsula.

In the past, López Obrador has frequently clashed with journalists, civic organizations, and environmental groups critical of his administration, even going as far as using confidential tax and banking records to target their funding and salaries.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) frequently backs civil society organizations focused on human rights and democracy promotion in various countries. However, in some cases, these groups find themselves at odds with local governments.

Last month, López Obrador urged Biden and former President Donald Trump to “urgently” commit to regulating gun sales throughout the U.S.

López Obrador said, “It would be a well-received act by Americans for both candidates to sign a pledge to regulate gun sales,” and called it an “act of good faith in the search of unity and peace.” He went on to say that access to guns was just one way to address the issue of gun violence in the US.