Mexico City, January 10, 2026 – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reaffirmed her government’s commitment to strengthened bilateral cooperation with the United States in the fight against drug cartels on Friday, while firmly rejecting any scenario involving foreign military operations on Mexican soil. Her remarks came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Washington would soon launch attacks against Mexican cartels, claiming they effectively “run Mexico” and that the Mexican government has been unable to confront them.
Speaking at a press conference in the violence-plagued Pacific coast state of Guerrero, Sheinbaum emphasized ongoing and expanding intelligence-sharing and joint operations with U.S. authorities. “We are going to strengthen communication,” she stated. “That is why I asked Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente to meet with the U.S. Secretary of State… Secretary Rubio himself spoke about the good coordination. There is a working group, so we will further strengthen the relationship, the information we are providing… in short, that they have all the information.”
Sheinbaum highlighted existing mechanisms of collaboration, including close work between Mexico’s National Guard and Navy and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which she said has led to significant recent successes, such as the seizure of 1.6 tons of cocaine after it landed on Mexico’s Pacific coast in late December 2025. She described the current framework as one that respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries.
The Mexican leader’s comments followed Trump’s provocative statements on Thursday, January 9, during an interview with Fox News. Trump asserted that “the cartels are running Mexico — it’s very, very sad to watch, and see what’s happened to that country,” and vowed that the U.S. would “start, now, hitting land.” He linked the planned actions to the January 3, 2026, U.S. special forces raid in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, suggesting Mexico would be the next target for similar operations against drug-trafficking organizations.
Trump’s rhetoric has raised alarm in Mexico, where any suggestion of U.S. military action on national territory is politically toxic and widely viewed as a violation of sovereignty. Sheinbaum, when directly asked by reporters what her government would do if the U.S. launched strikes without dialogue, responded firmly: “We do not want to think about any other scenario; rather, we want to continue working within that scenario so that coordination is further strengthened within the framework of the defense of our sovereignties on both sides and of Mexico’s territorial integrity.”
The exchange highlights the delicate balance in U.S.-Mexico relations under the second Trump administration. While both countries have cooperated extensively on counternarcotics—most recently through the revived Mérida Initiative framework and intelligence-sharing that led to record fentanyl seizures in 2025—Trump has repeatedly threatened unilateral military action against Mexican cartels, labeling them foreign terrorist organizations and accusing the Mexican government of complicity or weakness.
Mexican officials and analysts have consistently opposed foreign intervention, arguing that it would violate national sovereignty, inflame anti-American sentiment, and potentially destabilize already fragile security conditions. Mexico has maintained that the primary responsibility for combating organized crime lies with domestic institutions, supported by international cooperation but not foreign troops or strikes.
The current tensions follow a pattern established during Trump’s first term (2017–2021), when he also threatened military action against cartels and imposed tariff threats to pressure Mexico on migration and drug flows. The Biden administration had largely shifted toward multilateral cooperation and capacity-building, a model Sheinbaum has sought to continue.
Security experts note that while cartel violence remains extraordinarily high—Mexico recorded over 30,000 homicides annually in recent years, with cartels controlling significant territories—the notion of U.S. strikes on Mexican soil would carry enormous diplomatic, legal, and practical risks. Such actions could fracture the binational relationship, trigger retaliatory violence, and undermine the Mexican government’s legitimacy.
For now, both capitals appear focused on dialogue. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly described current coordination as “good” in recent statements, and the two governments maintain active working groups on fentanyl, precursor chemicals, and money laundering.
As the Trump administration signals a harder line on cartels, President Sheinbaum is walking a fine line: projecting strength and sovereignty at home while preserving essential security cooperation with Washington.
