Mexican President Claudia Sybaum has denied reports that the United States plans to send troops to Mexico to deal with offers from Donald Trump.
“It’s not going to happen,” Sirebaum said at his daily morning news conference Tuesday. “We do not agree to any process of interference or interventionism.”
Sheinbaum’s comments come after a Report from NBC News Current and former US officials say the Trump administration has begun planning a mission to send US troops and intelligence officers to Mexico.
The report said that although the operation is not completed and no final decision has been made, the first stages of training have also begun discussions about the scope of the operation.
The report also indicates that US troops will operate under the authority of the US intelligence community, and that officials from the CIA will also be involved.
But Sirebaum insisted that his country had no “information” about such a planned incitement, although he admitted that on the phone Trump and other US support and other support to deal with organized crime.
“I always say thank you very much, President Trump. But no, Mexico is a free, independent and Sovereign country,” Solereum said.
Mexico and the US have long cooperated in tackling drug-trafficking groups, with the US sending CIA, Military and Drug Enforcement Administration operatives to support Mexico’s efforts to curb organized crime.
But the prompting of US troops in Mexico to directly confront the cartels, especially without the agreement with Mexico, will certainly not reverse a bad bilateral relationship.
The Trump administration has made dealing with drug gangs a central pillar of its foreign policy: in February, Washington Outlined as six Mexican cartels such as terrorist organizations.
It has also launched a series of raids against alleged drug boats, most recently Shipwrecks in the eastern Pacific which killed 14 alleged traders in late October.
Although Mexico rescued one of the survivors from the attack, Sheinbaum the strikes were judged and ordered officials from his government to discuss them with the US Ambassador to Mexico.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum also announced that Mexico had reached a security agreement with the United States that had been in place for months.
“We will continue to work within this framework of understanding, with clear principles … that respect our sovereignty and our territory.”
Mexico’s president has also appeared cooler on militarized anti-narcotics tactics than his predecessors on national security, despite the recent controversial killing of a mayor in western Mexico.
“Some are calling for militarization and war, as happened in the war on drugs,” Shinbaum said. “That won’t work.”