The Unlikely Kinship: Exploring The Afghan-Mexican Connection

Afghanistan and Mexico have had diplomatic relations since 27 June 1961, and both countries are members of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. While the distance between the two nations has meant that relations have never been a high priority, there has been some travel between the two countries. Mexicans live and work in Afghanistan, and some Afghans have travelled to Mexico as migrants on their way to the United States. In addition, Mexican narcotic cartels have been operating in Afghanistan. Citizens of Afghanistan must obtain a visa to travel to Mexico as tourists.

Mexico has helped evacuate journalists and their families from Afghanistan

Mexico has played a crucial role in evacuating journalists and their families from Afghanistan, offering a safe haven for those fleeing the Taliban regime. The Mexican government's efforts have been led by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who has facilitated the evacuation process and provided temporary humanitarian protection for the Afghan journalists and their families.

In August 2021, Mexico welcomed 124 Afghan media workers and their families, including journalists from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, who fled their country due to the Taliban's hostility towards the press. The group arrived at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, where Ebrard greeted them and affirmed Mexico's commitment to supporting human rights applications for refuge, asylum, and humanitarian visas.

The evacuation of journalists from Afghanistan was facilitated by Azam Ahmed, a former chief of The New York Times' Kabul and Mexico bureaus. Ahmed contacted Ebrard via WhatsApp, requesting Mexico's assistance in accepting refugees who were "good people trying to get out." Ebrard, in coordination with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, worked to navigate immigration laws and provide temporary protection for the Afghans.

Mexico's intervention in the evacuation of journalists from Afghanistan highlights its dedication to freedom of expression and humanitarian assistance. However, it also contrasts with its challenges in protecting its own journalists, as press groups in Mexico have faced threats and violence, making it a dangerous country for reporters outside of war zones.

In addition to its efforts in evacuating journalists, Mexico has also offered refugee visas to Afghan refugees, particularly women and children, as part of its commitment to supporting those impacted by the crisis in Afghanistan. Mexico's actions have provided vital assistance to those seeking safety and a new beginning amid the challenging circumstances in their homeland.

Both countries have been members of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization

Afghanistan and Mexico have been members of the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Afghanistan officially joined the UN on 19 November 1946 as the Kingdom of Afghanistan, making it one of the UN's earliest members. Mexico joined the UN in 1945. Both nations established diplomatic ties on 27 June 1961. In 1962, Mexico accredited its first ambassador to Afghanistan, Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz. Mexico was on the United Nations Security Council from 1980 to 1981 and again from 2002 to 2003, and as a non-permanent member from 2009 to 2010. Afghanistan joined the WTO on 29 July 2016, becoming its 164th member. Mexico has been a member of the WTO since 1 January 1995.

Afghanistan and Mexico's shared memberships in the UN and WTO have influenced their bilateral relations and trade policies. Despite the vast distance between the two nations, their diplomatic relations are conducted primarily through international forums such as the UN. Mexico has supported Afghanistan's sovereignty and independence through various UN resolutions. Afghanistan's accession to the WTO was expected to open borders and reduce tariffs, with the hope of attracting foreign investment and boosting economic development. Afghanistan's exports to Mexico include mobile phones, machine parts, and automobile parts, while Mexico's exports to Afghanistan include refrigerators, beer, plastic, and silicone. In 2018, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to US$9 million.

Mexico has voted in favour of maintaining Afghanistan's independence and sovereignty

From 1980 to 1981, Mexico was on the United Nations Security Council and voted in favour of Resolution 462, condemning the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. When Mexico was again a member of the UN Security Council from 2002 to 2003, it voted in favour of maintaining Afghanistan's independence and sovereignty (Resolution 1444 and Resolution 1453) and extending the UN Assistance Mission mandate in the country (Resolution 1471). From 2009 to 2010, Mexico, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, voted in favour of UN Resolution 1868 and UN Resolution 1890.

In addition to Mexico's support for Afghanistan's independence and sovereignty at the UN, the two countries have a history of diplomatic relations. In 1962, Mexico accredited its first ambassador to Afghanistan, Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz. In 2021, Mexico announced it would issue refugee visas to Afghan refugees, particularly women and children, from its embassy in Tehran, Iran, and resettle them in Mexico.

Mexican narcotic cartels have been operating in Afghanistan

Edgardo Buscaglia, an organised crime expert, has stated that the Sinaloa Cartel operates like a multinational company, with intermediaries in Afghanistan and Turkey outsourcing the shipping and distribution of heroin to the Mexicans. Using import-export companies as a front, operatives from the cartel work with middlemen in Afghanistan and Turkey to move heroin to Western markets. The cartel then handles the distribution of the drug to U.S. cities.

Afghanistan is the world's top producer of heroin, while Mexico is another major producer and the main supplier to the U.S. The profits from the drug trade are immense, with wholesale earnings from illicit drug sales ranging from $13.6 to $49.4 billion annually. The U.S. is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and other illegal drugs, and Mexican cartels control approximately 70% of the foreign narcotics flow into the country.

The Mexican government has been engaged in an ongoing armed conflict with various drug trafficking syndicates, including the Sinaloa Cartel, in an attempt to dismantle the cartels and prevent drug trafficking. However, the cartels have become increasingly powerful, and their influence has spread beyond Mexico's borders.

Since 2001, many Afghan migrants have travelled through Mexico to reach the United States

Since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, many Afghan migrants have travelled through Mexico to reach the United States. This is due to a combination of factors, including war, political instability, and the withdrawal of US and allied troops in 2021. The US military presence in Afghanistan resulted in many Afghans working as interpreters, translators, and other professionals with or on behalf of the US government. The end of the war in 2021 and the return of control to the Taliban marked a turning point for Afghan migrants, with the Biden administration launching Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) to grant humanitarian parole to 76,000 evacuated Afghans.

Mexico has become an increasingly popular and accessible route to the US for Asian and African migrants. Mexican officials have reported that out of 195 recognised countries, 120 nationalities have crossed their southern border, with the majority of crossings occurring at the shallow stretch of the Suchiate River, which separates Guatemala from Mexico. This route can be dangerous and difficult, with migrants facing obstacles such as traversing rivers and jungles, as well as the risk of theft, abuse, and assault. Those who can afford it may pay smugglers up to $21,000 per person for longer journeys or for swift passage by plane.

While Mexico and Afghanistan have diplomatic relations and are both members of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, the vast distance between the two countries has resulted in a low priority relationship. Mexico has supported Afghanistan's sovereignty and independence in the United Nations Security Council and, in 2021, announced that it would issue refugee visas to Afghan refugees, particularly women and children, from its embassy in Tehran, Iran.

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