During his six-year presidency in Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) has assigned significant responsibilities to the Armed Forces, focusing on building infrastructure to boost the economy and addressing violent crime. However, despite ambitious projects, the reality is that his administration has only made progress on the infrastructure side while the security situation in the country has deteriorated significantly.

AMLO's administration has seen the military engaged in various large-scale projects, including the construction of airports, a nearly 960-kilometer railway through the Maya jungle, and the establishment of a state airline. These initiatives are intended to create a lasting economic legacy for the president as he approaches the end of his term in preparation for the presidential elections in June. Yet, these efforts have not aligned with improvements in public safety.

Tragically, López Obrador is set to leave behind a grim legacy concerning public safety, as his presidency has coincided with the bloodiest period in recent Mexican history, with over 170,000 murders reported since he took office in December 2018. This statistic marks a stark 26% increase in violent crime, highlighting the challenges Mexico faces despite the president’s infrastructural goals and raising questions about the effectiveness of utilizing military resources in domestic security matters.