Mexican President Obrador said he would not accept any foreign intervention and would handle national security challenges on his own.

"We will not accept any form of intervention, we are a free, sovereign country," Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told tens of thousands of supporters at Zocalo Square, Mexico City, on 1 December, said the government would rediscover justice for victims of criminal gangs.

In his speech, President Obrador also responded to criticisms that the Mexican government was "weak" against criminal gangs. Obrador confirmed the release of Ovidio Guzman, the infamous drug lord's son "El Chapo" Guzman, was the right decision to prevent "unnecessary bloodshed".

"The opponent may say we are weak, but nothing is more important than human life," the Mexican president stressed.

The statement came after Obrador said on November 29 that Mexico would not allow the United States to carry out armed activities against drug cartels on its territory.

US President Donald Trump has previously vowed to treat Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations because of their activities, which killed many American citizens. Obrador said he supported the decision President Trump made and said he would discuss the matter with the US after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Gang violence is a serious problem in Mexico. Since 2007, more than 250,000 people have been murdered, many of whom are victims of drug-related violence. The total number of murders recorded this year in Mexico is likely to be higher than last year.

The Mexican government for many years organized suppression of drug cartels with campaigns to kill or prosecute leaders. However, the disintegration of gangs after the disappearance of powerful tycoons led to internal strife and scramble for the area, making violence even more complicated.