National Action Party (PAN) Senator Lily Téllez has called for increased U.S. military cooperation in Mexico’s fight against drug cartels, challenging President Claudia Sheinbaum’s stance against foreign military intervention on Mexican soil.
Speaking during Tuesday’s Senate session, where lawmakers approved the entry of 10 U.S. soldiers to train Mexican marines, Téllez argued that such military cooperation has historical precedent and does not compromise national sovereignty. “This is nothing new,” Téllez stated, emphasizing that similar collaborations between U.S. and Mexican forces have occurred regularly.
The senator questioned the Sheinbaum administration’s reluctance to accept broader U.S. assistance in combating cartels, arguing that Mexico has proven unable to handle the challenge independently. “The reality is that the Mexican state can’t combat the cartels because if the Mexican state were able to combat the cartels, it would have already done it,” Téllez said.
Her comments come amid heightened tensions in U.S.-Mexico relations, following the U.S. government’s recent announcement to “pursue total elimination of Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations.” U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and has not ruled out the possibility of deploying U.S. special forces into Mexico.
President Sheinbaum maintains that while Mexico is open to collaboration on security issues, it must be as equal partners. Her administration opposes any U.S. military intervention on Mexican soil, describing such actions as interference in national territory. A recent Reforma newspaper poll showed the Mexican public divided on the issue, with 46% supporting U.S.-Mexico collaboration against cartels and 50% opposing it.
During her Senate speech, Téllez made controversial allegations about the ruling Morena party’s relationship with organized crime, echoing recent White House claims about “intolerable alliance[s]” between Mexican drug trafficking organizations and the government. Sheinbaum has forcefully rejected these allegations as “libel.”
The Sheinbaum administration defends its anti-cartel efforts, with Security Minister Omar García Harfuch reporting 11,600 arrests for high-impact crimes since October 1, along with the seizure of over 100 tonnes of drugs and more than 5,000 firearms. The president has highlighted that January 2025 saw the lowest number of homicides for that month in eight years, with a 12% decrease compared to September 2024.
The debate over U.S. military cooperation occurs as Mexico navigates complex security challenges while attempting to maintain its sovereignty and diplomatic relations with its northern neighbor.