At her Wednesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that her government is afraid of cartels.
On the day she was named as one of “the 100 most influential people of 2025” by Time magazine, she also spoke about the United States’ security maneuverings both north and south of the Mexico-U.S. border.
Mexico sends diplomatic note to US
A reporter asked the president about the United States’ reported plan to establish a military base on its southern border with Mexico.
The question came after United States Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum traveled to New Mexico on Tuesday to “announce the emergency withdrawal and transfer” to the U.S. Army “of administrative jurisdiction over approximately 109,651 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border,” according to a Department of the Interior statement.
“… The Department of the Army requested the withdrawal and transfer of these lands on an emergency basis to allow for the increase in regular patrols by federal personnel, construction of infrastructure to prevent unlawful entry, disrupt foreign terrorist threats to the U.S., and to curb illegal cross-border activities, such as unlawful migration, narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking,” the statement said.
Citing information from U.S. officials, the Associated Press reported on Monday that “a long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that President Donald Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants.”
Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that her government was speaking to its U.S. counterpart about its plans for the border region.
She told reporters that Mexico has also sent a diplomatic note to the United States, in which she said her government acknowledges that what the U.S. does “in its own territory” is “a decision for them,” but also expresses its expectation that U.S. military actions won’t “cross the border” and that there will continue to be “the same collaboration there has been until now in security matters.”
🚨 @SecretaryBurgum transfers administrative jurisdiction over nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S. Army over the next 3 years:
“We’re up against a real enemy here. We need to make sure the border is secure.” pic.twitter.com/1J4RVqvojF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 16, 2025
“… The last order that was set out is that the [U.S.] army can occupy certain federal territories [along the border]. We don’t know whether it is to continue building the wall [or] what the objective would be, but in any case what we always ask for is respect and coordination,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum: US ‘always looking to intervene more’ in fight against Mexican cartels
A week after NBC News reported that the Trump administration is considering carrying out drone strikes on cartels in Mexico, a reporter asked the president whether the United States government has presented any “specific” proposal to her to combat the powerful criminal groups.
“They’re always looking to intervene more,” Sheinbaum responded, explaining that the U.S. government has long had a desire to come into Mexico as part of its efforts to combat organized crime.
Whether Mexico authorizes the U.S. to come into the country to combat cartels “depends very much on the president of the republic who is in office,” she said.
“…[Felipe] Calderón allowed the DEA to carry out operations in our country,” Sheinbaum said, adding that such operations were overseen by U.S. authorities rather than the Mexican government.
“We don’t [allow that]. We say there is collaboration, there is communication, but who operates in Mexico are the institutions of the Mexican state,” she said.
“… And until now there has been good acceptance [of that],” Sheinbaum said, telling reporters that the United States hasn’t done anything in Mexico since she took office without first coming to an agreement with her government.
She said earlier this year that surveillance flights by CIA drones over Mexico only occur after the government of Mexico has requested them in order to obtain information to be able to respond to prevailing “security conditions.”
Trump claims Mexico is ‘very afraid’ of its drug cartels in Fox News interview
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that United States security agencies “have permits to operate here, but they have rules.”
“In other words, there are agents from United States agencies who are in Mexico, who need permits to be in Mexico, and their way of operating is regulated by the National Security Law and now also by the constitutional reform we did,” she said.
“They have to be in permanent communication with Mexican authorities [and] send reports,” Sheinbaum added.
Sheinbaum staying grounded after appearance on prestigious Time magazine list
A reporter asked the president about her inclusion on Time magazine’s list of “the 100 most influential people of 2025.”
“There are those who get carried away with these things,” Sheinbaum said before assuring the press corps that isn’t the case with her.
“You always have to keep your feet on the ground,” she said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
She is definitely an iron fist in a velvet glove?!! Love her.
She’s the right person, at the right time, for Mexico. She handles Trump perfectly. She understands the importance of good relations with the behemoth to the north. Mexico needs the US and the US needs Mexico, no matter what Trump says. She understands that.
I honestly don’t know how she does it with Trump, but I’m so glad she does.
She is just amazing!
Of course there is a push back, It is politics. She knows how to play the game and I feel Trump likes that. Trump wants to negotiate everything and generally both parties win. When someone gets pissed and slams the door after Trump says some stupid thing, he retaliates. If they come to the table to discuss options? He likes that and will work on a deal. She can do this and does it well.
What the United States of America wants to do or build on their border is their business. Since Mexico can’t do anything against the cartels. I do agree that the cartels run a lot of areas in this country, and Mexico has done nothing to combat it. People in this country are dying because of the government’s in ability to combat it.
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same happening in US ( people are dying ) and USG is SILENT … i am referring to American CARTELS… CIA / FBI running for profit a murder of civilians program…. Targeting program… where 97% of people have NO connection to crime… 2 lawsuits are preparing now… – a friend of a friend, african american. has been experimented on, implanted…life devastated..wrote to politicians for years.. ZERO… on her deathbed… nobody in the gov cares… or DEARS to acknowledge! who is running this program ? should USG be attending to its own cartels FIRST ? I dont like what has come of what once was USA….
I don’t like it as well but some of what you write is extreme. Let’s focus on the reactionarism, fascism, and corruption in the U.S.A.
AGREE!
as an American citizen who lives full-time in Mexico, I can tell you this: I am ashamed and disgusted at the USA. No country is perfect but the USA takes the cake for being every other country’s enemy.
Your neighbor plans to install machine gunners on your property line, aimed at you, not to mention drones ready to launch. Have a pleasant evening.
A border military base sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, as soon as the leftists regain power they will destroy it and reopen the border again to facilitate the invasion of America by anyone and everyone. That’s why it’s imperative that the republicans remain in power.. indefinitely.
LIE. I have a bridge to sell you.
Your neighbor plans to install machine gunners on your property line, aimed at you, not to mention drones ready to launch. Have a pleasant evening.
The military’s involvement doesn’t seem to make much difference, as the border has long been militarized, unless the fascist cancer (e.g., Bergum “We’re up against a real enemy here.”) matastasizes. None of it is needed to fight cartels.
It’s the U.S. side of the border. And a careful reader can see there is no such “base” being constructed. The U.S. plans to patrol this part of their country much closer and some facilities are required to support that.
Wouldn’t be necessary if the Mexican big talkers got control of their side of the border and broke up the cartels.
I have a hard time when Trump says he wants to build a military base on the border. First and most important the largest ( or 2nd largest, depending on who is in port) military presence is in San Dieo, CA. San Diego has 9 military installatons in addition are Naval Outlanding Field Imperial Beach, Ca., Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado which all hug the border next to Tijuana. 115,000 active duty service members stationed in this massive complex.
Fort Huachuca is located 15 miles north of the border in Arizona.
Also, Fort Bliss, Fort Cavazos, Goodfellow Air Force Base and Laughlin in Texas play variou roles in border security.
I am positive the Mexican government is quite aware of the US military presencr along their northern border.
The USA has enough bases along the border.
I wonder what the U.S. government is going to do about the border lands in the U.S. that they do not own? Trump’s fence had to end at the boundary between U.S. owned land and that owned by Native American nations such as the Tohono O’odham Nation.
A military base is usually an excuse for a troop and arms buildup before an invasion. However, given the vigilance and stance of the Mexican President, while this may be a possibility, it seems unlikely. But it bears close watching. If the US begins “accidental” incursions into Mexico, it will be a signal that Mexico needs to reinforce its side of the border. The would be an unfortunate and dangerous situation for both countries not mention an economic disaster on both sides of the border. On a positive note, it gives her more incentive – or cover – crack down on the Cartels. The recent fires and roadblocks and shootouts with the Army in Ocotlan and Michoacan may be a sign of that. (Who knows what backchannel conversations the Admin is having with cartels .) And The US SecD is already getting immersed in a “forever war” with the Houthi’s exactly what the Trump administration does not want.. The Mexican people would all become Ninos Heroes if the US tried to make military moves into Mexico and another “forever war” would start, this time on its border. Plus with an estimated 11 million Mexicans in the US, there would be an immediate public, legal and political backlash. More likely this is a sop to the racists Mexico Hawks in the WH and will stay small but with potential for bullying. Itis something else for Sheinbaum to deal with, although she seems to be playing 3-dimensional chess very well.