She wants to enhance trade and curb drug trafficking.
On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Mexico’s Secretary of Finance in an effort to expand cooperation in bilateral trade and put a halt to drug trafficking.
On Thursday, she has meetings scheduled with law enforcement, officials of Mexico’s central bank, and members of the private economic sector.
In connection with her meeting with law enforcement, the Treasury Department announced a “Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force” that is tasked with addressing drug cartels at the financial level.
“Through this strike force we will conduct joint analyses of the financial flows of fentanyl trafficking networks, we’ll strengthen operational coordination of both civil and criminal investigations and we’ll partner with local and federal law enforcement to share information,” said an administration official.
“This supply chain is largely disguised as legitimate commercial trade. So one of the key values is exposing and disrupting these networks to cut off access to financial and commercial channels that these cartels are trying to operate in undetected,” said an administration official, adding, “We believe that it’s in America’s and Mexico’s interest that Mexico implements economic policies that increase sustainable growth, generating more good paying jobs and prosperity for all Mexicans as part of strengthening our bilateral economic relationship.”
Nearly 110,000 Americans died last year from drug overdoses, mostly due to fentanyl.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Yellen to be led by God as she seeks to reduce drug trafficking from and increase trade with Mexico.
- For U.S. treasury and economic officials as they assess the state of American trade and commerce.
- For Americans who are addicted and their families, especially those who have lost loved ones to overdose.
Sources: Reuters, The Hill, Barron’s
