Narco war at Mexico-Guatemala border compels Trump’s attention

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Wayward State Department, Guatemalan President Have Sided with Traffickers

A June 8 violent confrontation between Mexican authorities and suspected narcotraffickers at the border with Guatemala should concern President Donald Trump. Evidence that Guatemalan authorities favored the narcotraffickers conflicts with State Department (DOS) statements portraying President Bernardo Arévalo as a counternarcotics partner.

Trump must look at DOS personnel who betray their oaths, including Ambassador to Guatemala Tobin Bradley and his number two, Patrick Ventrell. The pair are continuing the Joe Biden-DOS fraudulent imposition of Arévalo that keeps Guatemala open for narcotraffickers.

Working within US, international, and Guatemalan law, Trump can correct these crimes against both countries. Trump should immediately remove Bradley and Ventrell for their illegal intervention and appoint an America-first ambassador. Trump should state his new ambassador will support rule of law in Guatemala.

Clash at La Mesilla Border Crossing

Mexican police detected armed men entering Mexico from Guatemala and engaged them, killing four. Three armored police vehicles crossed into Guatemala in pursuit. Guatemalan authorities watched as the suspected narcotraffickers fired on the Mexican authorities.

Governor Eduardo Ramirez of Mexico’s Chiapas state accused Guatemalan authorities of working with the suspected narcotraffickers: “It is no small matter to be colluding, but what is worse is to be in the service of organized crime.”

The Guatemalan Foundation against Terrorism (FCT) is similar to Judicial Watch in the United States. They both file lawsuits and complaints related to transparency and rule of law with government agencies and make their cases in the media. DOS has obstructed Judicial Watch’s lawsuits seeking public information and has sanctioned FCT leaders for obstructing democracy. So much for DOS’s pious talk of democratic values.

On June 10, the FCT filed criminal complaints against Guatemala’s defense and interior ministers: Henry Saenz and Francisco Jiménez, respectively. The charges are abuse of authority, dereliction of duty, and other crimes connected to the June 8 event at La Mesilla.

FCT president Ricardo Mendez-Ruiz explained: “To support our complaints, we provided video evidence of the event and of Saenz’s statement that the army acted correctly. Saenz and Jiménez should be immediately relieved because the army and police failed their core duties of protecting Guatemala and its people. Arévalo will not do so because [Saenz and Jiménez] are his partners in crime, which includes protecting narcotraffickers.”

US-Donated Military Jeep Protects Narcos

The internet news service XelaNews reported on June 11 that Arévalo had taken no action and made no statement regarding the La Mesilla incident. The report referred to videos XelaNews had published showing “[Guatemalan] army personnel in a J8 protecting members of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Mexican cartel.”

The US government began in 2013 to donate J8 military jeeps to Guatemala for counternarcotics operations and border security. Congressional Democrats accused Guatemalan presidents Jimmy Morales (2016–2020) and Alejandro Giammattei (2020–2024) of misusing the J8 jeeps.

Not coincidentally, Morales and Giammattei both resisted DOS and Democrat subversion of Guatemala, which included promoting the flows of illegal drugs and migrants. Congressional Democrats and DOS consistently side with narcos. They opposed Morales’s and Giammattei’s counternarcotics and illegal-migration efforts and have been silent about Arévalo misusing the J8 jeeps to protect narcotraffickers.

Looming Damage from Overstaying Defense Minister

Arévalo confirmed on June 21 that he would keep Saenz in his post after his 33 years of active duty ends on June 27. If so, Arévalo will commit a crime.

Arévalo shills insist Saenz can legally remain as minister. However, law professor and criminal litigator Omar Barrios has explained the legal ramifications. That includes why the reasoning from Arévalo shills is fallacious. Barrios has cited the penal code article, stating that remaining in a public post after the legal time limit is a crime. He has added that any orders given by Saenz as minister after June 27 would be illegal. Subordinates would constitutionally not be obligated to obey them.

The military depends on its personnel’s loyalty to the Constitution and personal integrity. This looming violation of and contempt for law by the president and minister would be devastating for the army. Barrios wonders whether this is their intention.

A Counternarcotics Partner in Name Only

A March 2025 DOS report and certification falsely characterized Guatemala as a counternarcotics partner. The report did the same regarding Colombia despite the Gustavo Petro regime making Colombia part of the land route for illegal drugs and migrants.

Narcotics that enter Mexico reach the US border because Mexico cannot control its cartels. This makes Guatemala the key country for reducing the flow of narcotics to the United States.

The Biden regime fraudulently installed Arévalo in 2023 as part of its agenda of flooding the United States with illegal drugs and immigrants. Leaving Biden’s illegal, anti-US intervention in place in Guatemala would harm US interests. Trump can correct this in a legal way that would have multiple positive results.

Heads Need to Roll

Arévalo’s party was cancelled by the judiciary for registration fraud, which voids his participation in the 2023 election and requires his removal as president. Bradley and Ventrell continue the Biden-DOS intimidation of Guatemala’s judiciary and private sector not to apply the law to Arévalo.

Free of US intimidation, Guatemala’s high court would most likely apply the law and remove Arévalo. Then Guatemala’s Congress would likely appoint a president who would properly apply the law. Guatemala’s people, especially in border areas, would then gratefully cooperate with law enforcement to identify smugglers and gangs.

Arresting and extraditing transnational criminals would force cartels to transport narcotics by air and sea to avoid Guatemala, an important step against US enemies in our hemisphere. Investigating, exposing, and prosecuting DOS traitors is indispensable for this and for increasing popular support for reforming the federal bureaucracy.

Steve Hecht is a businessman, writer, and film producer, born and raised in New York. He has lived and worked in Guatemala since 1972. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance, both from Columbia University.

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