Mexican Leader Sheinbaum Rejects Claims of US Troop Deployment in the Country

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has categorically rejected reports that the US government is considering to send troops into the country to combat dominant drug trafficking organizations, emphasizing that she has consistently declined such offers from Donald Trump.

“This will not occur,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily morning news conference on that day. “We are opposed to any form of interventionism or interventionism.”

Context on the Allegations

Sheinbaum's comments come after a report quoting present and past American authorities that the US government has started planning for a mission to send American military personnel and agents into the neighboring nation.

The report suggested that although the operation was not imminent and a conclusive choice had been made, the early stages of training had commenced along with discussions about the extent of the operation.

Additionally, the account stated that US troops would function under the jurisdiction of the US intelligence community, and that personnel from the Central Intelligence Agency would take part as well.

The Nation's Reaction

But Sheinbaum was adamant that her country had “no information” about such a planned intervention, although she acknowledged that in conversations with the US president, he had proposed to send military support and other assistance to tackle criminal groups.

“I’ve always said thank you very much, President Trump. But absolutely not, Mexico is a free, sovereign and sovereign country,” Sheinbaum affirmed.

Historical Collaboration and Current Strains

Mexico and the US have historically worked together in tackling cartels, with the US at times dispatching intelligence, military and DEA agents to support the country's efforts to fight organized crime.

But the incursion of US troops into Mexico to engage with the cartels, particularly without Mexico's agreement, would be an unheard-of move that would almost certainly fracture an already tenuous partnership between the two countries.

Latest Actions and Agreements

The US government has made addressing criminal organizations a key element of its international strategy: in February, Washington classified six Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.

Additionally, it has initiated a series of attacks against alleged narco vessels, most recently striking vessels in the eastern Pacific that killed multiple suspects in late October.

While authorities rescued a survivor from the strike, the President criticized the strikes and instructed officials from her administration to address them with the American envoy to the nation.

On that day, Sheinbaum also noted that Mexico had finalized a cooperation pact with the US that was discussed over several months.

“We are going to continue working within this cooperative structure, which has defined guidelines … which respects our independence and our territoriality.”

The President's Position on Security Approach

The national leader has also seemed less enthusiastic on militarised anti-narcotics tactics than her preceding leaders: on the previous day, she dismissed any changes to the nation's safety approach despite the recent brutal killing of a local official in western Mexico.

“There are demands for militarization and war, as happened with the war on drugs,” Sheinbaum commented. “That didn’t work.”

Luis Miller
Luis Miller

A tech journalist and digital strategist passionate about exploring how technology shapes everyday life and culture.