Mexican president accuses US of funding groups hostile to his administration, calls on Biden to intervene

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Mexico President Andres Manuel López Obrador on Wednesday accused the U.S. government of funding organizations that are hostile to his administration. 

Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, López Obrador read from a letter he sent to President Biden the day prior. 

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks at the National Palace in Mexico City, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

"The U.S. government – specifically through the [United States Agency for International Development], has for some time been financing organizations openly against the legal and legitimate government I represent," López Obrador said in the letter, calling such actions "interventionist."

"I am sure that you do not know about this issue and for that reason, I respectfully request your appreciated intervention," López Obrador’s said.   

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USAID's goals for Mexico focus on reducing "impunity, crime and violence by constraining the operational space for organized crime in targeted areas," according to its current development strategy.

The Mexican president’s news briefing came a day after he met with U.S. Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall, to discuss coordination ahead of the end of U.S. asylum restrictions at their shared border.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has resumed press briefings after recovering from COVID-19, and vowed to force the nation's transparency agency to collapse during his first briefing since returning. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

López Obrador made a similar complaint in a diplomatic note two years ago, just before a virtual meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. He sent a similar letter asking USAID to withdraw funding allocated to non-governmental organizations critical of the government. 

The organizations that López Obrador has identified as opposition include Mexicans against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI), as well as the local branch of Article 19, an international freedom of expression organization, which has been critical of the number of journalists killed in Mexico.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Article 19 and MCCI for comment. 

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In a statement to Fox Digital, USAID issued the following statement: "The United States and Mexico have a deep partnership, based on a relationship as neighbors and peers, that advances our shared commitment to peace and prosperity for our region and peoples. USAID works closely with government, civil society, and private sector counterparts to achieve our shared commitments. We are committed to working with a variety of local partners, including civil society, to drive inclusive, sustainable, locally-led development. USAID also partners with Mexico’s development agency, AMEXCID, to address the root causes of migration in northern Central America." 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.