President Donald Trump has proposed using military force to confront drug cartels, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the United States should instead focus on curbing arms trafficking into Mexico and reducing drug demand at home.
According to reports, Trump has already deployed military resources against criminal organizations, including operations targeting suspected traffickers at sea and support for armed actions in Ecuador against what authorities describe as criminal training camps.
Trump Announces New Military Coalition
In recent days, Trump announced the creation of a “new military coalition” made up largely of right-leaning governments across the Americas. According to the president, the alliance is united by a commitment to use lethal military force to dismantle cartels and criminal networks he has described as terrorist organizations.
“We need your help. Just tell us where they are,” Trump said Saturday while addressing regional leaders gathered at his golf club outside Miami.
Sheinbaum Calls for Focus on Arms Trafficking and Drug Demand
In response, Sheinbaum said the United States should concentrate on addressing what she described as the root causes of the problem. She pointed to the strong demand for illicit drugs in the United States and the flow of illegal weapons into Mexico.
Mexico Distances Itself From Coalition
During her morning press conference Tuesday, Sheinbaum was also asked why Mexico had not been invited to join the coalition. She said such an invitation was not necessary, arguing that cooperation between Mexico and the United States on security issues already exists through other channels.
The Mexican president emphasized that bilateral collaboration between the two countries has been underway for years under different mechanisms, distancing her administration from the bloc announced by Trump.
