Mexico massacre: Families of victims branded as 'traitors', told to leave country after asking US to declare drug cartels terrorists
Nine members of a Mormon family were killed in a roadside ambush in Mexico on November 4. At least six of them were children.
The family members of the victims are now being slammed and branded as "traitors" for pressing the United States government to designate drug cartels terrorist groups.
The religious community lives on the Mexican border and enjoys dual citizenship. The community moved to Mexico after the Church of Latter-Day Saints denounced polygamy in 1885 and created an offshoot community. The community's history is dotted in blood and killings.
President Donald Trump recently said that he would have the gangs designated terrorist groups. However, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said that he does not want help from foreign powers on the matter.
While Mexican officials don't fear Trump sending drones into the country, they fear that the relationships between the two countries could worsen.
Many have called the LeBaron family whose members died in the recent attack "traitors". One post on Twitter said, "They've got double nationality so why don't they return to their country instead of selling us out."
Another one said, "They eat and live in Mexico, steal water from Mexicans and ask Trump to defend them."
Alex LeBaron, who was a Mexican Congressman and is related to some of those killed, said in an interview that they are "terrorists, these cartels, whether they are declared as such or not"
"LeBaronOutOfMexico", "LeBaronTraitors" were on the top three Twitter trends on Wednesday on Mexican Twitter accounts.
The community is not affiliated with the Mormon Church in the United States.
Mexico's former ambassador to the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, also warned in a newspaper column about applying anti-terror strategies against drug cartels. "When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail," Sarukhan wrote.
Experts believe such a move would only encourage those who want to militarize the border.