Yucatán marijuana smugglers turn out to be National Guard
ByCarlos Rosado van der Gracht
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador salutes the National Guard at new their headquarters in Nuevo León, Mexico, in January.Photo: Medios y Media
Mexico’s National Guard has confirmed that four of its agents have been apprehended for traveling in a vehicle transporting marijuana.
The agents were allegedly found out when they were subjected to an inspection upon arrival in Yucatán from Campeche.
The agency has condemned the alleged actions and said that it has already begun investigating the case.
These events are particularly embarrassing from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who created the Mexican National Guard in 2019 to fight corruption and the trade of illicit drugs.
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Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the marijuana prohibition was unconstitutional, but the use of the drug remains effectively illegal.
In November 2020, the Mexican Senate voted in favor of creating a regulatory framework that would legalize the use and distribution of marijuana. Congress is expected to vote on the issue this year, bringing an end to almost a century of prohibition.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht, PhD, is a journalist, photographer, and expedition leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada, and Norway. Most recently, he earned a doctorate in Heritage Studies in 2026.
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