Mexican president wants the National Guard to become part of army

The move would protect the force, created by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, from budget cuts by subsequent administrations.

Mexico’s president said Tuesday he plans to make the National Guard part of the army, erasing the thin pretense of a civilian-controlled force that was used to gain approval for its creation two years ago. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador dissolved the former Federal Police soon after taking office in late 2018, saying the force was corrupt. He replaced it with the National Guard under the nominal control of the civilian Public Safety Department. The idea was that the 100,000-member guard could gradually allow the army to withdraw from law enforcement duties. But the vast majority of recruits, officers and training always came from the military, often on loan.