Mexico's head of state Sheinbaum has firmly denied allegations that the United States is considering to send troops into Mexico to combat powerful cartels, emphasizing that she has repeatedly declined such offers from President Trump.
“This will not occur,” Sheinbaum declared during her daily morning news conference on Tuesday. “We are opposed to any form of interventionism or interventionism.”
Context on the Allegations
The President's remarks follow a report quoting present and past US officials that the Trump administration has started planning for a mission to send American military personnel and agents into Mexico.
This information indicated that although the operation was not immediate and no final decision had been made, the early stages of preparation had commenced along with talks about the scope of the deployment.
Furthermore, the report stated that US troops would function under the authority of the American spy agencies, and that officers from the Central Intelligence Agency would take part as well.
Mexico's Reaction
But the Mexican leader was insistent that her country had “lack of details” about such a planned incursion, even though she acknowledged that in conversations with the US president, he had proposed to send military support and additional resources to tackle criminal groups.
“I have repeatedly stated my gratitude, Mr. Trump. But no, our country is a independent, sovereign and sovereign country,” the President affirmed.
Past Cooperation and Present Strains
The two nations have long collaborated in addressing drug-trafficking groups, with the United States at times sending intelligence, armed forces and Drug Enforcement Administration operatives to support Mexico's efforts to combat criminal networks.
But the incursion of American military into the territory to directly confront the cartels, particularly without Mexico's consent, would be an unheard-of move that would likely damage an already tenuous partnership between the two countries.
Latest Actions and Agreements
The Trump administration has made addressing criminal organizations a key element of its international strategy: in last winter, the US classified six Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.
Additionally, it has initiated a series of attacks against alleged narco vessels, most recently targeting ships in the Pacific Ocean that resulted in the deaths of multiple suspects in late October.
While Mexico saved a survivor from the strike, the President criticized the actions and ordered officials from her government to discuss them with the US ambassador to the nation.
On that day, Sheinbaum also noted that Mexico had finalized a security agreement with the US that was discussed over several months.
“We are going to continue working within this framework of understanding, which has defined guidelines … which honors our independence and our territorial integrity.”
Sheinbaum's Stance on Anti-Narcotics Approach
The Mexican president has also seemed less enthusiastic on military-focused anti-narcotics tactics than her preceding leaders: 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 military action and armed conflict, as occurred with the war on drugs,” she commented. “That didn’t work.”
