Mexico: No border enforcement collaboration deal with DEA

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Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday said law enforcement officers would not be cross-collaborating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) “Project Portero” targeting narcotic smugglers.

“The DEA put out a statement yesterday saying that there is an agreement with the Mexican government for an operation called Portero,” Sheinbaum said during her morning news briefing, as reported by The Associated Press. 

“There is no agreement with the DEA. The DEA puts out this statement, based on what we don’t know. We have not reached any agreement, none of the security institutions [have] with the DEA.”

Over the past few months, U.S. officials have touted bilateral relations with Mexico after sending 26 cartel members across the border. 

Four members of Mexico’s police force attended a workshop in Texas geared toward intelligence operations, but Sheinbaum mentioned there were no additional dual efforts to combat drug trafficking. 

In recent months, President Trump has increased tariffs on Mexico in response to the heightened impact of fentanyl across the country. 

Trump has blamed a handful of groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Northeast Cartel, the New Michoacán Family, Gulf Cartel, United Cartels, Tren de Aragua, and Mara Salvatrucha for the persistent overdoses. 

Sheinbaum has pledged to work alongside the Trump administration to reduce border trafficking but has denied Trump’s push to place U.S. troops on the ground in May to combat criminal forces and additional suggestions for American surveillance.

“It’s not necessary. We can collaborate. We can work together,” Sheinbaum said at the time. “But you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States’ army in our territory.”