Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed her intention to enhance collaboration with the United States while firmly stating that the nation’s sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable. This statement comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to launch ground attacks against Mexican drug cartels.
During a recent visit to the state of Guerrero, Sheinbaum emphasized, "Collaboration and coordination with the United States are essential as we are neighbors. However, the sovereignty and independence of our nation are not up for negotiation," as reported by international news agencies.
On Friday, in her morning press briefing, President Sheinbaum disclosed that she had instructed Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and potentially converse with President Trump to "strengthen coordination" under the current security agreement between the two nations.
These developments follow Trump's comments during a Thursday evening interview with Fox News, where he declared his intention to initiate ground operations against drug cartels, accusing them of causing the deaths of "250,000 to 300,000 people" annually in the United States.
"We are now going to start ground attacks on the cartels. The cartels are controlling Mexico," Trump warned, expressing his disappointment over the situation in the neighboring country.
Trump claimed that his administration had already blocked 97% of drugs entering the U.S. via maritime routes, and the next step would be to target the cartels on land.
These statements arise amidst escalating regional tensions, less than a week following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were taken to New York to face charges of narco-terrorism and other offenses.
Although Trump did not specify the scope or location of possible military actions, his remarks have triggered diplomatic concerns in Mexico.
Sheinbaum has been steadfast in asserting that Mexico and the United States have established formal mechanisms for joint action, sharing data on Mexico’s anti-narcotics strategy with its northern neighbor.
"We have a working group to further strengthen our relationship. This includes sharing information about our campaign and seized laboratories, ensuring they have all the data within the framework of our ongoing collaboration," she explained, according to a DW report.
In previous statements, Sheinbaum already rejected the idea of a U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil, asserting that it "would not be helpful" in reducing violence or drug trafficking.
Key Concerns about U.S.-Mexico Drug Cartel Conflict
What was Trump’s threat regarding Mexican drug cartels?
Trump threatened to initiate ground operations against Mexican drug cartels, blaming them for substantial drug-related deaths in the United States.
How did President Sheinbaum respond to Trump's threat?
Sheinbaum emphasized the importance of collaboration with the U.S. but firmly stated that Mexico's sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.
What actions did Sheinbaum take in response to the threat?
Sheinbaum instructed the Mexican Foreign Minister to engage with U.S. officials to reinforce security coordination between the two countries.