López Obrador‘s Enduring Popularity Faces Test Amid Corruption Allegations
Despite a surge in corruption concerns,Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador maintains significant popularity as his management nears its end and his successor,Claudia Sheinbaum,navigates early challenges. López Obrador’s Morena party, a political force that has rapidly risen to dominance in just over a decade, now controls government, the judiciary, and other key aspects of Mexican life, drawing comparisons to the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
While morena’s approach differs from the PRI’s history of rigged elections, graft, and repression, many of its senior figures, including López Obrador himself, previously held positions within the PRI. “It’s very hard to explain Morena’s hegemony without acknowledging that it cannibalized a lot of what was left of the PRI,” explained political analyst Carlos Bravo Regidor. “And a lot of what was left of the PRI was criminal governance and complicity with criminal organizations.”
This history of complicity has become particularly sensitive given the Trump administration’s increased pressure on Mexican drug cartels, with six syndicates designated as terrorist groups. Recent scandals have raised questions about connections between Morena politicians and organized crime.
Adán Augusto López Hernández, Morena’s top member of the Senate and a long-time associate of López Obrador, has denied links to the criminal group La Barredora (The Sweeper). The alleged leader of La Barredora, a former security chief in Tabasco state, was arrested as a fugitive in Paraguay after previously being appointed to the security post by López Hernández while he was governor of Tabasco. López Hernández maintains he was unaware of any wrongdoing.
Further complicating matters, the Mexican navy – consistently ranked among the nation’s most trusted institutions – is currently investigating a fuel-theft scheme involving 14 arrests, including a nephew of the admiral who served as secretary of the navy under López Obrador. President Sheinbaum defended the admiral, stating he was instrumental in reporting the theft.
Sheinbaum has repeatedly emphasized a commitment to accountability, declaring, “We won’t cover up for anyone.” While some reformers credit her with addressing corruption, others believe she has been overly cautious in tackling a deeply ingrained problem. “A lot of people inside Morena are saying,’Let’s push out the bad apples,’ ” noted Bravo Regidor. “But what’s rotten is the barrel, not the apples.”
López Obrador publicly urged Morena to adopt a strict anti-nepotism policy earlier this year, but the proposal faced resistance within the party, where patronage remains prevalent.Luisa María Alcalde Luján, Morena’s president, has been criticized for claiming the party is free of nepotism, despite both of her parents serving in López Obrador’s government and her sister holding the position of attorney general for Mexico City.
“it’s so false when politicians from Morena say ther is no corruption,” said Miguel Angel García, a 32-year-old salesman. “Yes, Sheinbaum is more honest. But she has a lot of work to do.”
