U.S. President Donald Trump stated that his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum, is so afraid of drug cartels that it prevents her from thinking clearly. Trump claimed that the cartels are trying to harm the United States by trafficking drugs and immigrants. Despite this, Sheinbaum rejected Trump's offer to allow the U.S. Army to enter to combat these groups.
Trump revealed that he proposed to Sheinbaum to allow U.S. soldiers to enter Mexico to assist in the fight against the cartels. In response to the Mexican leader's refusal, Trump emphasized that they would be willing to cooperate if Mexico wanted help with the cartels. His statements emerged following Sheinbaum's rejection of the U.S. President's proposal.
In a press conference, Sheinbaum justified her rejection by pointing out the importance of national sovereignty, emphasizing that the presence of the U.S. Army on Mexican territory would not be accepted. She highlighted that while they can collaborate and share information, each country must work within its own territory. This refusal to allow the entry of U.S. troops generated a public debate between the two leaders.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was pressuring Sheinbaum to allow greater military participation from Washington in the fight against drug cartels. This pressure comes in the context of Trump's second term, during which he has increased pressure on Mexico regarding security issues, including the imposition of tariffs.
In response, Mexico deployed 10,000 National Guard agents to the border to combat irregular migration and drug trafficking, with a special focus on fentanyl. Additionally, Trump added six Mexican drug cartels to the official terrorism list as another measure to confront these criminal organizations.
