Sheinbaum is defiant as Trump vows military action in Mexico
MEXICO CITY — President Trump has deployed his military might to combat drug cartels, blowing up dozens of suspected smugglers at sea and helping Ecuador bomb apparently criminal training camps.
In recent days, he announced the formation of an “all-new military coalition” made up of predominantly right-wing governments from across the Americas who, he said, are united in “a commitment to use lethal military force to destroy sinister cartels and terrorist networks.”
“We need your help,” he told regional leaders gathered Saturday at his golf club outside Miami. “Just tell us where they are.”
On Monday, the Mexican leader suggested that Washington should focus on other measures: containing Americans’ voracious appetite for illicit drugs and combating illegal arms trafficking.
“If the flow of illegal weapons from the United States to Mexico was stopped, these groups would not have access to these types of high-powered weapons to carry out their criminal activities,” President Claudia Sheinabum said at her daily press conference, citing a U.S. Department of Justice statistic that 75 percent of weapons used by criminal groups in Mexico were smuggled from the United States.
Sheinbaum – whose stated strategy has been to keep a “cool head” in the face of Trump’s repeated verbal attacks – was responding to a question about Trump’s latest threats to deploy military means against cartels in his country. Trump made the threat while speaking at a meeting of the new “American Coalition Against Cartels.”
The conference brought together some of Trump’s favorite right-wing leaders, such as Argentine President Javier Milei and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador.
Not invited were the left-wing presidents of the three most populous countries in Latin America, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
President Trump signs a proclamation Saturday pledging to combat cartel criminal activity at the Americas Shield Summit in Doral, Florida.
(Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press)
During his speech, Trump took particular aim at Sheinbaum, mocking the Mexican president’s outright refusal of direct U.S. military assistance, which she said would violate Mexico’s sovereignty.
Trump first praised Sheinbaum — “She has a beautiful voice, beautiful woman” — but then adopted a falsetto tone to imitate her: “President. President. President,” he said. “No. No. No. Please, President.”
“We must recognize [that] “The epicenter of cartel violence is Mexico,” Trump continued. “Mexican cartels fuel and orchestrate much of the bloodshed and chaos in this hemisphere. And the United States government will do whatever is necessary to defend our national security and protect the safety of the American people.”
The comments are among the most virulent yet from Trump, who has previously said Mexico is “run” by drug traffickers and that Sheinbaum is “so afraid of cartels she can’t even think.”
Mexico is both a major corridor for South American cocaine heading to U.S. markets and a production zone for fentanyl, methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs smuggled into the United States.
Responding in part to U.S. pressure, Mexico has launched a sweeping crackdown over the past year, arresting hundreds of trafficking suspects, destroying clandestine drug laboratories and handing over dozens of suspected cartel agents to U.S. authorities. Last month, Mexico killed one of Mexico’s top drug lords, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” during a raid on his mountain hideout.
Sheinbaum, when asked about Trump’s comments over the weekend, said she appreciated that he accurately reflected his refusal to allow the U.S. military into Mexico. She showed no resentment over Trump’s mocking tone and signaled her continued support for cooperation and intelligence sharing with Washington – but not direct US strikes.
She said U.S. efforts to combat drug addiction would be more helpful than military aid.
“There is a very important aspect that needs to be addressed, and that is reducing drug use in the United States,” she said.
Sheinbaum also pointed out that the United States has its own problem with drug production, adding a reference to the Netflix series “Breaking Bad,” about an Albuquerque high school teacher who cooks and sells methamphetamine.
“Yes, there is drug production in the United States as well,” Sheinbaum said. “So much so that they are even making television series out of it. »
Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez Vidal in Mexico contributed to this report.
