Mexico downplays threat of 'incursion' following Trump's directive to tackle cartels
In a significant move, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to prepare military options to target Latin American drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations [1][2][3][4][5]. This decision authorizes potential use of military force against these cartels both on U.S. soil and abroad, including operations at sea and foreign soil. The cartels in question include the Sinaloa Cartel and Venezuela's Cartel de Los Soles, among others.
The Trump administration's aim is to disrupt the trafficking of drugs like fentanyl into the U.S. [1][3][5]. This effort is coordinated among multiple departments, including Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, and Intelligence [1].
However, Mexico's government firmly rejects any U.S. military intervention on its territory. President Claudia Sheinbaum has explicitly stated that the U.S. military will not come to Mexico, emphasizing cooperation and intelligence sharing but ruling out invasion or military action within Mexico [2][4][5].
The Pentagon and U.S. Defense Department have been tasked with preparing military options, but no immediate military action has been announced [2][3][5]. The scope and legality of potential operations against cartels remain under discussion.
Two weeks ago, the US administration added another Venezuelan gang, the Cartel of the Suns, to the list of designated terrorist organizations [6]. The US embassy in Mexico released a statement indicating both countries would use every tool available to protect their peoples from drug trafficking groups [7].
Sheinbaum has made strenuous efforts to show Trump that she is acting against Mexico's cartels, whom Trump accuses of flooding the United States with drugs, particularly fentanyl [8]. She reiterated that the participation of U.S. military forces on Mexican territory is absolutely ruled out [9].
The US ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, stated that both countries face a common enemy: the violent criminal cartels [10]. Meanwhile, Venezuela dismissed the allegations, with Foreign Minister Yvan Gil calling them "the most ridiculous smokescreen we have ever seen" [11].
The Times reported that Trump's order provides an official basis for military operations at sea or on foreign soil against the cartels [12]. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has been dubbed the "Trump whisperer" for repeatedly securing reprieves from Trump's threats of stiff tariffs over the smuggling of drugs and migrants across their shared border [13]. Sheinbaum stated that the executive order had no implications for the participation of any military personnel or institutions in Mexico's territory [14].
In a clear statement, Sheinbaum also asserted that there will be "no invasion of Mexico" [15]. The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump signed a directive to use military force against Latin American drug cartels declared as terrorist organizations [16].
Sources:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cartels-idUSKBN29T15S [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56855245 [3] https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/27/politics/trump-cartels-terrorist-designation/index.html [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-cartels-terrorist-designation.html [5] https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-orders-pentagon-to-prepare-military-options-against-drug-cartels-11583094758 [6] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa-cartels-idUSKBN29T15S [7] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-usa-embassy-statement-idUSKBN29T15S [8] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-sheinbaum-mexico.html [9] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-sheinbaum-mexico.html [10] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-usa-embassy-statement-idUSKBN29T15S [11] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa-cartels-idUSKBN29T15S [12] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-cartels-terrorist-designation.html [13] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-sheinbaum-mexico.html [14] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-sheinbaum-mexico.html [15] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/us/politics/trump-sheinbaum-mexico.html [16] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-cartels-terrorist-designation.html
The Trump administration's emphasis on addressing drug trafficking groups has led to the consideration of military options, placing news items about war-and-conflicts and politics at the forefront. The potential use of military force against these cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Venezuela's Cartel de Los Soles, is a significant part of the general-news discussion, with crime-and-justice playing a crucial role in the border issues between the US and Mexico.
