Op-eds

Fox News: 'Three Amigos' summit we need: Biden, other leaders must get serious on energy, China, cartels
We need an updated Monroe Doctrine that emphasizes North American security and prosperity
By, Rep. Mike Waltz
Jan. 9, 2023

On Monday, President Biden will meet with his counterparts Mexican President Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau for the ‘Three Amigos’ Summit in Mexico City to discuss trilateral goals for North America.

It’s a pivotal time for North America and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Mexico-based cartels are supercharging the massive flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl across our southern border. Demand for energy is high for our oil- and gas-rich continent. Foreign adversaries are increasing their influence in Latin America, which further threatens our regions.

We need a new Monroe Doctrine for the Western Hemisphere, one that prioritizes the security and prosperity for the United States and our neighbors.

As these three leaders prepare to meet, the expanding power of cartels, energy and China should be top of mind.

Over the last two years we’ve seen very little urgency from the Biden administration to take serious steps to secure our border. They’ve fought to end Remain in Mexico, halted the construction of the border wall, and continue to release thousands of illegal immigrants into our country without knowing where the go.

According to Homeland Security Investigations, cartel revenue from human smuggling has soared from $500 million in 2018 to $13 million today. These operations impact all three North American countries with the constant flow of drugs and migrants, as well as the cartel-related violence that has erupted in Mexico.

The quickest way to lose a war is to pretend it doesn’t exist. And the cartels are waging a shadow war against our cities, Middle America and Mexico with drug smuggling, human trafficking and violence.

Enough is enough. More than 100,000 Americans have died in a 12-month period due to drug overdoses, largely because of fentanyl.

Over the weekend, Biden finally visited the border for his first time in office. We should hope he comes away with a new urgency to bring this issue front and center during Monday’s summit.

President Biden should make to clear to President Obrador that the Mexican government needs to get serious about cracking down on cartels or the United States will be forced to act. If Biden refuses to, a Republican-led House of Representatives should consider introducing the Authorization of Use of Military Force against specific cartel groups. This would allow the most sophisticated intelligence, cyber and military operations to be used against these enemies.

On energy, all three countries have the oil and gas supply necessary to become production powerhouses for a world that increasingly needs more fuel. As Russia cuts off Western Europe from much-needed gas, North America has the supply to fill the void and stop the reliance on our adversaries to power their respective countries.

While Biden and Trudeau will likely focus on their green new deal fantasies, which will only increase our collective dependency on China, serious energy discussions focused on expanding production should be had.

Additionally, we’ve seen increased efforts by foreign adversaries to intervene in Western Hemisphere affairs.

China, for instance, has expanded its energy footprint in the Western Hemisphere by purchasing lithium mines needed to power Biden’s vision of a new green economy.

Last year, I called on the Biden administration to press Canada on why it skipped an extended national security review of China purchasing a Canadian-owned mine in Argentina. We’ve also seen similar instances of Chinese purchases of electrical grids, ports and farmland in the region.

Biden must make this clear to his counterparts that Mexico and Canada must coordinate to prevent China’s economic overreach into our region.

In addition to China, other global adversaries like Russia and Iran all stepped in to help save Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro from being removed from power and prop up other socialist dictatorships like Cuba and Nicaragua.

North America shouldn’t stand for this kind of interference in our hemisphere and should agree on resolutions to punish future foreign interference in free elections in our hemisphere.

I don’t have faith that Biden will prioritize these issues – but if the summit is to live up to its true name – the North American Leaders Summit – this is the agenda that must be put on the table.