MEXICO CITY, Sept. 3, 2025
Mexico adn the United States agreed Wednesday to continue their collaboration on cross-border security, focusing on combating the trafficking of drugs, guns, and fuel. However, the agreement underscored a commitment to operating from their respective sides of the border, a nod to Mexico’s concerns about U.S. intervention in the region.
Security pact evolves into a promise of continued cooperation
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The pact reaffirms existing security efforts and establishes a new joint working group.
This collaboration, initially billed as a broad security agreement, ultimately solidified into a reaffirmation of ongoing efforts. Key priorities include stemming the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. and preventing high-powered firearms from being smuggled into Mexico. Migration control also remains a focus, with a notable decrease in crossings.
- Mexico and the U.S. will maintain c
- The agreement emphasizes cooperation while respecting each nation’s sovereignty.
- A new “high-level implementation group” will monitor progress.
The meeting,held in Mexico City,was attended by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This marks rubio’s first trip to Latin America since taking office. He is scheduled to visit Ecuador on Thursday.
Sheinbaum has previously expressed concerns about potential U.S. encroachment on Mexican sovereignty. “It’s basic to show to U.S. society,Mexican society,that yes,models of cooperation,of collaboration can be built that work,that give results,” said Mexico’s Foreign Affairs secretary Ramón de la Fuente.
Rubio described the collaboration as “the closest cooperation we’ve ever had, maybe between any country, but definitely between the U.S. and Mexico.” He added that the new “high-level implementation group” will meet regularly to ensure agreed-upon actions are being carried out.
U.S. actions spark regional unease
The meeting followed a significant U.S. military action in the Caribbean. President Donald Trump announced a deadly strike on a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel, an operation he characterized as eliminating an imminent threat.
Trump’s administration has previously strained relations with the region through threats of tariffs and sanctions, particularly concerning migration and the fight against drug cartels.The deployment of warships in the Caribbean and off the Latin American coast,alongside the strike on the alleged Tren de Aragua gang vessel,has amplified these concerns.
Rubio defended the strike, stating, “The president, under his authority as commander in chief, has a right under exigent circumstances to eliminate imminent threats to the United States.” This stance contrasts with Mexico’s preference for “nonintervention, peaceful solution of conflicts,” as articulated by de la Fuente.
The U.S. has a complex history of involvement in Latin American affairs, with past military interventions contributing to governmental instability in countries like Guatemala and Chile.
Mexico’s President Defends Stance on Cartels
Despite Trump’s demands,Sheinbaum has firmly defended Mexico’s sovereignty. She has pushed back against suggestions that she is hesitant to confront cartels due to their power.
“We respect a lot the Mexico-United States relationship, President Trump, and no, it’s not true this affirmation that he makes,” Sheinbaum stated.
In an address marking her first year in office, sheinbaum declared, “Under no circumstance will we except interventions, interference or any other act from abroad that is detrimental to the integrity, independence and sovereignty of the country.”
Sheinbaum’s administration has taken a more aggressive stance against Mexican drug cartels and fentanyl production compared to her predecessor. Her government has deployed the National Guard to the northern border and extradited 55 cartel figures sought by U.S. authorities.
A statement from the State Department highlighted the reaffirmation of security cooperation, particularly amid regional concerns about increased U.S. military involvement. rubio reportedly thanked Sheinbaum for her role in securing the shared border.
The U.S. statement briefly touched on trade friction, noting Rubio emphasized the “importance of resolving trade and non-trade barriers to further the prosperity of both of our nations.” The word “tariff” appeared only once.
