Mexican President Rejects US Troop Deployment on Mexican Soil

President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly reiterated that she would never permit the US Army or any other US institution to set foot on Mexican soil, underscoring her unwavering commitment to safeguarding Mexico’s sovereignty.

Last week, US President Donald Trump defended his proposal to deploy troops to combat drug cartels in Latin America as a measure to “protect” the United States. This move signals a new escalation in the ongoing war against fentanyl. “Latin America has many cartels. There is a lot of drug trafficking. We want to protect our country. We have to protect our country. We have not done that in four years,” Trump said at the White House. While acknowledging that the cartels “play a tough game,” Trump justified the operation as necessary for national security, though he refrained from providing further details.

In response, President Sheinbaum clarified that any US government aircraft flying over Mexican territory would do so solely under Mexico’s coordination and explicit request. “We would never, ever allow the US Army or any other institution of the United States to enter Mexican territory. And if support is requested for an aircraft, it happens only under Mexico’s coordination and at its request. This is not new; such cooperation has occurred only on very special occasions for specific matters,” she emphasized.

“It must be understood by all Mexicans that we will never put our sovereignty at risk, never. Mexico’s independence will never be compromised. We are a free, sovereign, and independent nation that collaborates and coordinates on security and other issues, but never subordinates itself.”a