MEXICO CITY — A decade ago, a failed U.S. gun-walking sting spanning both sides of the border, called Operation Fast and Furious, ended in death and notoriety. Mexico’s president is bringing back the issue, demanding clarity and even an apology.
Between 2009 and 2010, American authorities had purposely allowed illicit gun sales in an attempt to track Mexican cartels and U.S. weapons traffickers. But the operation was a failure as weapons were lost, and some were ultimately used to kill Mexican citizens and a U.S. border agent.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that his predecessor, Felipe Calderón, should explain Mexico’s involvement. Calderón replied on Twitter that his government didn’t know about it.
López Obrador said that, if that’s the case, the operation was an illegal intrusion violating Mexico’s sovereignty.
The president says his government will ask Washington for an explanation. López Obrador says the incident happened during the Obama administration, but an apology should be expected from the current U.S. government.
