Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, at a public event on Saturday, firmly declined an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump that would have allowed American troops to enter Mexico to combat fentanyl-producing drug cartels. Emphasizing the sanctity of Mexico's sovereignty, Sheinbaum declared her country's territory off-limits to foreign military forces. "We will never accept the presence of the United States Army in our territory," she stated unequivocally.
The Wall Street Journal initially reported on the phone call between the two leaders, which took place on April 16. While Sheinbaum confirmed the accuracy of the report, she indicated that the details had not been fully represented. Despite rejecting the troop deployment, the Mexican President welcomed the U.S. offer of enhanced intelligence support to tackle organized crime.
In addition, Sheinbaum sought U.S. assistance in reducing the influx of illegal weapons into Mexico. These arms frequently end up in the hands of cartel operatives, exacerbating the violence plaguing both nations. As reported by the New York Post, existing U.S. and Mexican military personnel had been deployed along the border since February, part of a concerted effort to oversee and fortify the region.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the drug crisis has reached alarming proportions. Since January, thousands of kilograms of fentanyl have been intercepted, enough to fatally overdose over 119 million individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identify fentanyl as the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44, underlining the gravity of the epidemic.
Sheinbaum has consistently affirmed Mexico's collaboration with the U.S. in managing migration and impeding drugs from traversing the shared frontier. In a March declaration, the President underscored her administration's robust stance against organized crime and narcotics trafficking, further noting the significance of ongoing trade and security discussions between the two countries.
Amidst these talks, Trump had previously warned of imposing a 25% tariff on Mexican goods unless Mexico intensified its anti-trafficking measures. Although this threat has subsided following a trade agreement from Trump's first term, some tariffs persist, including on Mexican vehicles and particular metal exports.
In an address to Congress in March, Trump painted a grim picture of the border situation, citing territories south of the border beleaguered by violent cartels. He described these groups as a direct menace to U.S. security and disclosed that America had initiated an offensive against them. In a later statement to Fox Noticias, Trump contended that the Mexican government was intimidated by the cartels and in need of aid, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to aiding Mexico's internal struggle against organized crime.