Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly rejected reports that the US government is planning to deploy military forces into the country to combat powerful cartels, emphasizing that she has consistently refused such proposals from Donald Trump.
“This will not occur,” Sheinbaum declared during her regular press briefing on that day. “We are opposed to any process of interventionism or interventionism.”
Background on the Reports
The President's comments come after a report citing current and former US officials that the US government has initiated preparations for a mission to send American military personnel and intelligence officers into Mexico.
This information indicated that although the mission was not immediate and no final decision had been reached, the initial phases of preparation had commenced along with talks about the extent of the operation.
Furthermore, the account stated that US troops would operate under the authority of the US intelligence community, and that officers from the CIA would also participate.
The Nation's Reaction
But the Mexican leader was adamant that her country had “lack of details” about such a proposed incursion, although she admitted that in conversations with Trump, he had proposed to dispatch troops and other assistance to tackle organized crime.
“I’ve always said thank you very much, Mr. Trump. But absolutely not, Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country,” Sheinbaum affirmed.
Historical Cooperation and Present Tensions
Mexico and the US have long collaborated in tackling drug-trafficking groups, with the US at times dispatching CIA, military and Drug Enforcement Administration operatives to support the country's efforts to fight organized crime.
But the entry of US troops into the territory to directly confront the drug lords, especially without Mexico's agreement, would be an unprecedented step that would likely damage an fragile partnership between the two countries.
Latest Actions and Agreements
The US government has designated addressing criminal organizations a central pillar of its foreign policy: in February, Washington designated multiple drug cartels as terrorist groups.
It has also launched a series of attacks against alleged drug-trafficking boats, most recently striking vessels in the eastern Pacific that resulted in the deaths of multiple suspects in late October.
Although Mexico saved a survivor from the strike, Sheinbaum condemned the strikes and instructed representatives from her government to address them with the US ambassador to Mexico.
On Tuesday, she also highlighted that the country had reached a security agreement with the US that was discussed over several months.
“We will proceed within this cooperative structure, which has defined guidelines … which honors our sovereignty and our territoriality.”
Sheinbaum's Position on Anti-Narcotics Strategy
The national leader has also seemed cooler on militarised drug combat strategies 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 mayor in western Mexico.
“There are demands for military action and war, as happened with the anti-drug campaign,” she said. “That didn’t work.”
