Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Vows to Send Special Forces to Mexico to Combat Fentanyl Trafficking

Key Highlights :

1. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vowed Wednesday to send special forces into Mexico to seek out the cartels that traffic fentanyl into the U.S. and “we’re going to shoot them dead.”

2. He also said he would build a border wall and fund it by taxing the money that Mexican citizens earn in the U.S. and send back home.

3. When Mr. DeSantis told the story of meeting a man whose son was killed after taking a pharmaceutical laced with fentanyl, fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said that story is all too common — and he said it’s an injustice to call it an overdose.

4. Mr. Christie said the demand side also needs attention and the country must make a concerted effort at treatment to break the opioid addiction cycle.

     Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has vowed to take a hard stance against the illegal trafficking of fentanyl into the United States. On Wednesday, he declared that he would send special forces into Mexico to seek out the cartels responsible for the trafficking and “we’re going to shoot them dead.”

     The governor's declaration came during the Republican presidential debate in Miami. He also stated that he would build a border wall and fund it by taxing the money that Mexican citizens earn in the U.S. and send back home.

     The other candidates on the stage agreed with DeSantis's stance on the border and fentanyl. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he would deploy the National Guard to help Customs and Border Protection sniff out fentanyl coming in from Mexico, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said he would slap sanctions on the cartels to dry up their finances.

     Vivek Ramaswamy, another candidate, shared a poignant story of meeting a man whose son was killed after taking a pharmaceutical laced with fentanyl. He said that this story is all too common and that it’s an injustice to call it an overdose, adding that it’s closer to bioterrorism.

     Christie responded by saying that the demand side also needs attention and the country must make a concerted effort at treatment to break the opioid addiction cycle. He also said that it is a disease.

     The U.S. has been battling the opioid epidemic for years, and it has only been getting worse. The influx of fentanyl from Mexico has only made the situation worse. It is clear that the federal government needs to take a more aggressive approach to dealing with this crisis.

     Gov. DeSantis's vow to send special forces into Mexico to seek out the cartels responsible for the trafficking of fentanyl is a bold and welcome move. It is a sign that the government is taking the opioid crisis seriously and is willing to take drastic measures to combat it. It remains to be seen, however, if this strategy will be successful in stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

Continue Reading at Source : washingtontimes