Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that the United States will not be allowed to use military forces against drug cartels on Mexican soil.
Sheinbaum’s comments followed a report from The New York Times that said President Trump secretly signed an order authorizing the use of military force against drug cartels in foreign countries. Sheinbaum has previously rejected Trump’s offer for US military involvement in fighting cartels and reiterated on Friday, “The United States is not going to come to Mexico with the military.”
Sheinbaum confirmed that US officials informed her about Trump’s directive before it was given, according to The New York Times.
“We cooperate, we collaborate, but there is not going to be an invasion. That is ruled out, absolutely ruled out,” Shainbaum said. “It is not part of any agreement, far from it. When it has been brought up, we have always said no.”
The Mexican president also said the US assured her that Trump’s order would not lead to troops being sent into Mexico. The order targets Latin American drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations, though which groups specifically are involved has not yet been clarified. Two major gangs designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US State Department with cells in Central America are Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).
Mexico has faced violent drug cartel activity for decades. Sheinbaum has recently worked to crack down on the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful, deploying hundreds of troops earlier this year following pressure from Trump.
According to US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson, US fentanyl seizures were down while Mexican seizures rose last month due to “increased collaboration” between the two countries.
“Under [President Trump’s] and President [Sheinbaum’s] leadership, cartels are going bankrupt and our countries are safer because of it,” Johnson said in a post on X last month.
