US Ambassador to Mexico insists country produces fentanyl

In his farewell address, Salazar rebuffed the Mexican government's claim that Mexico does not produce the deadly opioid, which has claimed the lives of thousands of young adults in the US.

"I know what's going on. There's fentanyl in Mexico, and I also know it's produced here," he added.

Salazar also praised his joint work with Mexican state officials and the closeness of the two North American neighbors.

"I thank the people of Mexico for their warmth and for what we have built together, highlighting that we are family. Our countries have shared an historic cooperation, solidifying North America as the world's leading economic power."

Appointed in 2021 as US ambassador, Salazar built a strong and amicable relationship with then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. But he was also at odds with the Mexican government during his term, especially when it came to discussing drug trafficking.

One month into the administration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Salazar made some remarks regarding Mexico's peacekeeping strategy, which he considered a failure, holding Lopez Obrador responsible.

"Unfortunately, this coordination has failed in the last year, in great part because the previous president did not want to receive help from the United States," he said.

As US officials including President-elect Donald Trump continue to promise military action against drug cartels within Mexico's territory, Salazar has criticized the Mexican government's strategy against the cartels.

Salazar's comments come following a story in The New York Times which claimed that cartels are manufacturing fentanyl in Mexico in improvised and low-quality laboratories, which caused friction within the Mexican government, prompting President Sheinbaum to accuse the US news outlet of slander.

As President Joe Biden's administration ends, with it does Salazar's tenure as ambassador, giving way to Trump's pick as the next ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, a former CIA officer and Army Special Forces officer who served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first term.