Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday he would like to disband the army and put national security in the hands of the new National Guard militarised police force, though he recognised the proposal was unlikely to happen.

In an interview with Mexican newspaper La Jornada, the leftist president said he favoured guaranteeing the nation’s security through the National Guard, which he formally inaugurated on Sunday.

“If were up to me, I would get rid of the army and turn it into the National Guard, declare that Mexico is a pacifist country that does not need a military and that the defence of the nation, if necessary, would be done by all,” he said.

Only a few countries in the world have abolished standing armies, among them the Latin American nations of Costa Rica and Panama.

Mexico’s army has traditionally kept on the sidelines of international conflict, but has been deployed to tackle drug gangs since 2007.

Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Show all 20 1 /20 Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantation near Pueblo Viejo in the Sierra Madre del Sur, in the southern state of Guerrero, Mexico Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Illegal opium plantation burning Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers cut opium poppies as they destroy a field of illegal plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Nieves Garcia reacts next to her husband, "We are not drug traffickers, we want a dignified life," said Garcia, who has grown poppies since she was a child. "My kids have left this place because there's no way of getting ahead." Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Clouds over the Sierra Madre del Sur Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Francisco Santiago Clemente walks with his gun on his back in a corn field Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Opium poppies burn after being set on fire to by the army Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers arrive at the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Santiago Sanchez holds opium paste Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers unload their weapons at the camp near the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantatio Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A child sits on a sidewalk in Santa Cruz Yucucani Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers destroy a field of illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A woman tends to her opium poppy plant outside her house Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier waves to locals near the area Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier stands near residents as he arrives at the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers camp near the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers patrol the area of Pueblo Viejo Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantation near Pueblo Viejo Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers cut opium poppies Reuters

Mr Lopez Obrador recognised the political challenges to eliminating the military, adding: “I can’t do it because there is resistance. One thing is what is desirable and another thing is what is possible.”

The creation of the National Guard, which launched with 70,000 members and which Mr Lopez Obrador intends to grow to 150,000 units across Mexico, has raised concerns about the militarisation of law enforcement in Mexico.

Mr Lopez Obrador has already tapped the force, which was created by a constitutional change, to patrol the country’s northern and southern borders in response to US President Donald Trump’s demands that Mexico do more to contain migrant flows.

The National Guard has been assembled quickly, drawing on members of the armed forces and federal police, who have often been implicated in abuses during ongoing efforts to subdue gang violence.

Mr Lopez Obrador said he recognised the importance of curbing such abuses as the force ramps up.

The challenge the Mexican government faces, Mr Lopez Obrador said, is “for human rights to be respected and for there to be a different conduct in the National Guard, made up of soldiers and sailors”.