Mexico says 'no invasion' after Trump’s drug cartel decree
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum (Photo: Getty Images)
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected the US idea of conducting military operations against drug cartels in Latin American countries, according to The Guardian and ABC News.
The head of state stated that the US will not come to Mexico with its military.
“We cooperate, we collaborate, but there will be no invasion. It’s off the table, absolutely off the table,” Sheinbaum said.
Mexico’s President stated that her government was informed about Trump’s executive order but emphasized that it has nothing to do with the involvement of any military or institutions on our territory.
Two US officials confirmed to ABC News that Trump instructed the Pentagon to prepare options for conducting military operations against drug cartels in Mexico.
Washington’s persistence
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Mexico released a statement expressing the readiness of both countries to use all available tools to protect our peoples from drug cartels.
However, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs soon stated that it would not approve US military operations on its territory.
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the directive signed by Trump will allow the US government to use the military to strike organizations involved in trafficking.
Specifically, the head of American diplomacy noted that the directive enables the use of intelligence, the Pentagon, and other security agencies against drug traffickers.
“We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug dealing organizations,” Rubio said.
Trump’s fight against drug trafficking
After taking office in January 2025, Donald Trump intensified the fight against Latin American drug traffickers and made it one of the top priorities of his administration.
In February, the State Department designated seven organized crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations, including five powerful cartels in Mexico.
On August 9, The New York Times reported that Trump signed a secret directive allowing the US military to conduct direct operations against drug cartels both at sea and on the territory of Latin American countries.
Additionally, the US Department of Justice and State Department announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
He is accused of drug trafficking, corruption, and human rights violations. Furthermore, he faces charges of using organizations designated as terrorist groups to smuggle drugs into the US.
