Morena faces its own "García Luna case": Adán Augusto in the spotlight

The scandal surrounding Hernán Bermúdez's alleged ties to drug trafficking has placed the Morena party and one of its key figures, Adán Augusto López, in a politically untenable position. The situation is a near-perfect reflection of the Genaro García Luna case, the political weapon they used for years against their adversaries.

For years, Morena's political discourse has had a fundamental pillar: highlighting the corruption of past administrations, with the Genaro García Luna case as the ultimate symbol of collusion between the PAN government and organized crime. Today, that pillar is shaky. The international arrest warrant against Hernán Bermúdez Requena, the man Adán Augusto López put in charge of security in Tabasco, has created a "García Luna moment" for the Fourth Transformation.

The narrative is so parallel that it's devastating for the ruling party. A former security secretary is accused of leading a cartel from his position, while his political boss, a figure of presidential stature, must now answer the inevitable question: did he know or not know?

The defense strategy has already begun to unfold. Former interim governor of Tabasco, Carlos Manuel Merino, who kept Bermúdez in office, justified his decision in a recent interview, arguing that he didn't act sooner because there were no formal complaints against him, despite the existing journalistic and intelligence reports.

Adán Augusto López is expected to adopt a similar line of "plausible denial": a defense based on alleged ignorance of the facts. However, this position clashes head-on with a documented reality: the federal investigations against Bermúdez, according to SSPC head Omar García Harfuch, began in late 2024. This weakens the defense that "no one knew anything" and fuels suspicions of, at the very least, a serious omission or, at worst, complicity.

"Why did you keep Hernán Bermúdez as head of security in Tabasco despite accusations?" – A central question for former governor Carlos Manuel Merino, Adán Augusto's successor.

This scandal neutralizes one of Morena's most effective rhetorical weapons. They will no longer be able to point to the García Luna case without the opposition hitting back with the Bermúdez case. The central theme of public debate shifts toward coherence and credibility: will Morena apply the same standard of justice to its own people as it demands for its adversaries?

The situation also represents a test of fire for President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration and the party's internal loyalties. How the federal government handles this case will be a clear signal of its position:

• Will they protect a powerful figure like Adán Augusto López, risking their anti-corruption credibility?
• Or will they allow justice to take its course regardless of the political consequences, demonstrating a real commitment to ending impunity?

The actions of the current governor of Tabasco, Javier May, who has stated that his commitment is "to the citizens, not to criminals," and the push for the investigation by the federal SSPC (Secretary of State for Public Prosecutions), could indicate a leaning toward the latter option, possibly seeking to distance the new administration from the scandals of the previous one.

The Bermúdez case has ceased to be a security issue and has become a referendum on the political integrity of the ruling party. The truth, bluntly, is that Morena is facing its own mirror, and the image it reflects back is uncomfortably familiar.