Mexican President Sheinbaum Denies Claims of US Troop Deployment in the Country

Mexico's head of state Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly denied reports that the United States is considering to send military forces into the country to confront powerful drug trafficking organizations, stating that she has repeatedly refused such proposals from President Trump.

“It’s not going to happen,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily morning news conference on Tuesday. “We are opposed to any process of interference or external interference.”

Context on the Reports

The President's remarks follow a report quoting current and former US officials that the US government has started planning for a operation to send American military personnel and agents into Mexico.

The report indicated that although the mission was not immediate and no final decision had been reached, the initial phases of training had commenced along with discussions about the scope of the deployment.

Furthermore, the account stated that US troops would function under the jurisdiction of the US intelligence community, and that personnel from the CIA would take part as well.

The Nation's Reaction

But Sheinbaum was insistent that her nation had “no information” about such a proposed intervention, although she admitted that in conversations with the US president, he had offered to send military support and additional resources to tackle organized crime.

“I have repeatedly stated thank you very much, Mr. Trump. But no, our country is a free, sovereign and autonomous country,” the President declared.

Historical Collaboration and Present Strains

Mexico and the US have historically worked together in tackling drug-trafficking groups, with the United States at times dispatching CIA, armed forces and Drug Enforcement Administration agents to support the country's initiatives to combat criminal networks.

But the incursion of American military into Mexico to directly confront the cartels, especially without the nation's agreement, would be an unprecedented move that would almost certainly fracture an already tenuous bilateral relationship.

Latest Actions and Agreements

The US government has designated confronting drug-trafficking groups a central pillar of its foreign policy: in last winter, the US designated multiple drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

It has also launched a multiple strikes against suspected drug-trafficking boats, most recently striking ships in the eastern Pacific that resulted in the deaths of 14 alleged traffickers in late October.

While Mexico rescued one of the survivors from the strike, the President criticized the actions and ordered officials from her government to address them with the US ambassador to the nation.

On that day, Sheinbaum also noted that the country had finalized a security agreement with the United States that was discussed over an extended period.

“We are going to continue working within this framework of understanding, which has very clear principles … which respects our independence and our territorial integrity.”

Sheinbaum's Position on Anti-Narcotics Approach

The Mexican president has also appeared cooler on militarised anti-narcotics tactics than her predecessors: on Monday, she dismissed any changes to the nation's safety approach despite the murder of a mayor in western Mexico.

“There are demands for military action and war, as occurred with the anti-drug campaign,” she said. “That didn’t work.”