Mexico’s military on display in independence celebrations

Mexico’s Independence Day parade Friday had even more of a militaristic air this year coming just days after the relatively new National Guard was passed completely to the command of the military.
The gray-camouflaged National Guard troops were a heavy presence in the display in central Mexico City. With the guard’s recent transfer and a push to extend permission for Mexico’s military to remain in a policing role through 2028, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has concentrated his domestic security strategy on the country’s soldiers and marines.
Standing before rows of thousands of troops Friday, Lopez Obrador thanked the navy and army for their loyalty and affirmed that the National Guard will have a mission of “guaranteeing public safety with efficiency and respect for human rights.”