President Donald Trump is offering Mexico's government unspecified help to "wage war" on drug cartels after a family from a breakaway faction of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints was massacred in northern Mexico.
"This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth. We merely await a call from your great new president!" Trump said in a series of tweets addressing the tragedy.
Trump added that the U.S. government stands ready to get involved. He said that Andrés Manuel López Obrador has made fighting drug cartels a top issue.
"But the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army! "
López Obrador has favored a less militaristic approach to the problem, saying a policy of frontal confrontations by his predecessors led only to more violence.
Mexico's top security official says at least 3 women and 6 children were slaughtered by cartel gunmen and one child is still missing in northern Mexico. (AP)
Shocked and saddened to hear of the Utah family who was caught between two horrific drug cartels shooting at each other. We will work to dismantle these dangerous cartels and we are praying for the victims and their families.
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) November 5, 2019
A wonderful family and friends from Utah got caught between two vicious drug cartels, who were shooting at each other, with the result being many great American people killed, including young children, and some missing. If Mexico needs or requests help in cleaning out these.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
....monsters, the United States stands ready, willing & able to get involved and do the job quickly and effectively. The great new President of Mexico has made this a big issue, but the cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 5, 2019
