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Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has firmly denied reports that the United States is planning to deploy troops into the country to confront powerful drug trafficking organizations, stating that she has repeatedly declined such offers from President Trump.

“This will not occur,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily morning press briefing on that day. “We are opposed to any form of interference or interventionism.”

Background on the Reports

Sheinbaum's comments follow a news story quoting current and former US officials that the Trump administration has started planning for a operation to send US troops and intelligence officers into the neighboring nation.

The report suggested that although the mission was not immediate and no final decision had been reached, the initial phases of training had commenced along with talks about the extent of the deployment.

Furthermore, the report stated that US troops would operate under the jurisdiction of the US intelligence community, and that officers from the CIA would also participate.

The Nation's Response

But Sheinbaum was adamant that her country had “no information” about such a proposed intervention, even though she admitted that in phone calls with the US president, he had offered to dispatch military support and additional resources to tackle organized crime.

“I have repeatedly stated thank you very much, Mr. Trump. But no, our country is a independent, sovereign and autonomous nation,” Sheinbaum affirmed.

Historical Collaboration and Present Strains

The two nations have long collaborated in tackling cartels, with the US at times dispatching intelligence, military and Drug Enforcement Administration agents to assist the country's efforts to combat criminal networks.

But the incursion of American military into Mexico to engage with the cartels, especially without the nation's agreement, would be an unheard-of move that would likely fracture an already tenuous partnership between the two countries.

Recent Measures and Agreements

The Trump administration has made addressing criminal organizations a key element of its international strategy: in February, the US classified six Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Additionally, it has initiated a series of attacks against alleged drug-trafficking boats, most recently targeting vessels in the Pacific Ocean that resulted in the deaths of 14 alleged traffickers in late October.

While Mexico rescued a survivor from the strike, the President criticized the actions and ordered representatives from her administration to address them with the US ambassador to Mexico.

On that day, she also highlighted that Mexico had reached a cooperation pact with the US that was negotiated over an extended period.

“We will proceed within this framework of understanding, which has defined guidelines … which honors our independence and our territoriality.”

The President's Position on Anti-Narcotics Approach

The Mexican president has also appeared less enthusiastic on military-focused anti-narcotics tactics than her preceding leaders: on the previous day, she dismissed any modifications to the nation's safety approach despite the murder of a mayor in western Mexico.

“There are demands for military action and armed conflict, as occurred with the anti-drug campaign,” Sheinbaum said. “That didn’t work.”