The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, addressed her government’s stance on Tuesday, November 10, regarding proposals to designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
During her daily morning press conference, reporters pressed the president on whether her administration intends to maintain its opposition to applying this classification to organized crime groups operating within the country.
The questions follow recent political developments in the United States, including the November 3 congressional elections and subsequent leadership changes within President Donald Trump’s administration.
Bilateral Relations Remain Unchanged, Says Sheinbaum
Addressing the status of diplomatic ties, President Sheinbaum dismissed concerns that recent political movements in Washington have disrupted communications between the two nations.
“Our relationship has not changed, even with the appointment of President Trump’s new chief of staff,” Sheinbaum told reporters. “We have seen no indications or warning signs that something is changing.”
Clarifying the Cartel Designation Debate
The question renewed policy debates over how governments should officially categorize powerful drug trafficking networks.
While Sheinbaum clearly affirmed the stability of U.S.–Mexico diplomatic relations, she did not reveal if she has changed her stance on the cartel designation itself.
As such, her statements establish that the president has ruled out changes in the bilateral relationship, but they do not mean that the classification of Mexican criminal groups will change.
