MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed concerns of a US military invasion following reports of an executive order by former President Donald Trump targeting drug cartels.
“There will be no invasion of Mexico,“ Sheinbaum stated after The New York Times revealed Trump’s secret directive authorising military force against cartels.
The Mexican foreign ministry later confirmed it would not permit US military operations on its soil.
The US embassy in Mexico emphasised joint efforts to combat drug trafficking, calling cartels a “common enemy.”
US Ambassador Ronald Johnson reiterated the shared threat posed by violent criminal organisations.
The Pentagon deferred questions to the White House, which did not immediately confirm the order.
Trump’s directive reportedly allows military action against cartels, including operations on foreign territory.
Earlier this year, his administration designated eight drug trafficking groups, including six Mexican cartels, as terrorist organisations.
A Venezuelan gang, the Cartel of the Suns, was recently added to the list for smuggling narcotics into the US.
The US Justice Department also increased its bounty on Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million.
Venezuela dismissed the allegations as baseless, with Foreign Minister Yvan Gil calling them a “ridiculous smokescreen.”
Sheinbaum has worked to demonstrate Mexico’s cooperation in combating cartels amid Trump’s accusations of drug trafficking.
“We are collaborating, but there will be no invasion,“ she stressed.
Mexico has consistently opposed any foreign military intervention in its territory.
Sheinbaum, known as the “Trump whisperer,“ has previously defused tensions over trade threats linked to drug smuggling. - AFP
