Mexico's Military Assigned Highway Maintenance Duties

President López Obrador tasks armed forces with filling potholes, citing corruption and cost savings.

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has assigned the military the task of highway maintenance, specifically filling potholes, as part of a broader initiative to combat corruption and reduce costs.
The decision shifts the responsibility from the government's Transportation Department, which traditionally contracted private companies, to the armed forces, citing previous contracts as too costly and corrupt.
This move is part of López Obrador's larger strategy to give the military more civilian roles, including law enforcement and infrastructure projects, praising their honesty and efficiency.
Critics argue that this increasing militarization of civilian tasks threatens to erode the traditional separation between military and political spheres in Mexico.
The military's involvement in civilian roles is seen as a significant shift in a country where the armed forces have historically avoided overt political involvement.