President Claudia Sheinbaum has requested the Senate of the Republic to grant temporary entry to U.S. military personnel into Mexican territory. This request is made within the framework of bilateral cooperation agreements that include preparations for international events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Through an official communication addressed to the President of the Board of Directors of the Senate, Laura Itzel Castillo Juárez, signed by the Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez, the head of state submitted to the legislative body for authorization the entry of 35 members of the United States Armed Forces into Mexican territory. The purpose is for them to participate in Event SOF 32, entitled 'Training for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and VITAL ARCHER Exercise,' which will take place from April 3 to May 1, 2026.
Of the 35 personnel mentioned, four belong to the Army's Seventh Special Forces Group, 23 to the Navy SEAL Team 8; two are technicians from the Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, and six are from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency. According to the document, the delegation of U.S. military personnel will enter with military weapons and equipment on board a 'Hercules C-130' transport aircraft belonging to the United States Air Force.
What is the VITAL ARCHER exercise that forces from Mexico and the U.S. will carry out?
According to President Claudia Sheinbaum's request, the VITAL ARCHER exercise is part of the joint training activities between the military forces of Mexico and the United States, aimed at strengthening the response capacity to different risk scenarios.
'(It aims to) strengthen preparations for the FIFA World Cup and to conduct drills to prepare the FTCMF 2026 to react to any contingency and improve the interoperability of the different MARINA and first responder units,' the document adds.
It also specifies that the training is aimed at personnel from the Mexican Navy's Special Naval Operations Unit, the Airport Protection Naval Unit, the 2026 FIFA World Cup Task Force (FTCMF 2026), and the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC). The official communication also emphasizes that 'the temporary presence of foreign military personnel on national territory does not imply any cession of sovereignty, but rather the full exercise of the faculties of the Mexican State to decide with whom and under what conditions it cooperates.'
Regarding its development, the government of Mexico detailed that the VITAL ARCHER exercise will take place at different venues in the country, according to the following schedule:
April 6-17 - Toluca International Airport 'Lic. Adolfo López Mateos' and Naval Special Operations Unit in Donato Guerra, State of Mexico. April 18-23 - Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City. April 24-28 - facilities of the National Port System Administration of Veracruz. April 29-30 - facilities of the headquarters building of the Secretariat of the Navy in Mexico City.
