Mexico's Leader Claudia Sheinbaum Rejects Claims of American Troop Deployment in Mexico
The nation's President Sheinbaum has firmly denied allegations that the US government is considering to send troops into the country to confront powerful drug trafficking organizations, emphasizing that she has repeatedly declined such proposals from President Trump.
“This will not occur,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily morning press briefing on that day. “We do not agree to any process of interference or external interference.”
Context on the Reports
Sheinbaum's comments come after a news story citing current and former US officials that the Trump administration has initiated preparations for a operation to deploy American military personnel and intelligence officers into Mexico.
The report indicated that although the mission was not immediate and a conclusive choice had been reached, the initial phases of preparation had already begun along with talks about the extent of the operation.
Additionally, the report stated that American forces would function under the jurisdiction of the American spy agencies, and that personnel from the CIA would also participate.
The Nation's Reaction
But the Mexican leader was insistent that her nation had “lack of details” about such a proposed incursion, even though she acknowledged that in conversations with the US president, he had proposed to dispatch troops and additional resources to tackle criminal groups.
“I’ve always said thank you very much, Mr. Trump. But absolutely not, Mexico is a independent, sovereign and autonomous nation,” Sheinbaum declared.
Historical Cooperation and Present Tensions
Mexico and the US have historically worked together in tackling drug-trafficking groups, with the US at times sending intelligence, military and DEA operatives to support Mexico's initiatives to combat criminal networks.
But the entry of American military into Mexico to engage with the drug lords, particularly without the nation's consent, would be an unheard-of move that would almost certainly fracture an already tenuous bilateral relationship.
Latest Measures and Understandings
The US government has made addressing drug-trafficking groups a central pillar of its international strategy: in last winter, the US classified multiple drug cartels as terrorist groups.
It has also launched a series of attacks against alleged narco vessels, most recently targeting ships in the eastern Pacific that killed 14 alleged traffickers in recent weeks.
Although Mexico saved a survivor from the attack, the President criticized the strikes and instructed representatives from her administration to address them with the American envoy to Mexico.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum also noted that Mexico had reached a cooperation pact with the United States that was negotiated over an extended period.
“We will proceed within this cooperative structure, which has very clear principles … which respects our independence and our territoriality.”
The President's Position on Anti-Narcotics Strategy
The Mexican president has also seemed cooler on militarised anti-narcotics tactics than her predecessors: on Monday, she dismissed any modifications to the nation's security strategy despite the murder of a mayor in western Mexico.
“There are demands for militarization and armed conflict, as occurred with the war on drugs,” Sheinbaum commented. “That didn’t work.”