At her Thursday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum once again ruled out the possibility of the U.S. military conducting an anti-cartel mission on Mexican soil.
Among other issues, she spoke about the provision of additional support for the victims of recent floods and offered a brief preview of her upcoming meeting with the president of France.
Here is a recap of the president’s Nov. 6 mañanera.
Sheinbaum: Mexicans in favor of a US intervention in Mexico are ‘the absolute exception’
Sheinbaum was once again asked about an NBC News report that stated that the Trump administration has begun planning a “potential mission” on Mexican soil that would target Mexico’s notorious drug cartels.
The president reiterated her view that “there won’t be” a U.S. intervention “simply because” in Mexico the people are “united against any interference” or “intervention.”
“No Mexican man or woman, except for a few who are the absolute exception, want an intervention,” she said.
Report: Trump administration is planning a manned mission to fight cartels in Mexico
Polls, however, have found that U.S. military action in Mexico is not as unpopular among Mexicans as Sheinbaum might think.
One recent poll conducted by the polling company México Elige found that 50.8% of respondents are in favor of the U.S. army detaining drug traffickers in Mexican territory.
In addition, a poll conducted by Massive Caller in August found that 41.7% of 2,000 respondents “completely agreed” (29.4%) or “agreed” (12.3%) with the U.S. army coming into Mexico to combat cartels.
Among the Mexicans who are in favor of U.S. military action against cartels in Mexico is National Action Party Senator Lily Téllez.
She said in an interview in August that the U.S. offer to help Mexico fight drug cartels “is absolutely welcome,” and assured a Fox News host that “this is the opinion of the majority of Mexicans.”
Sheinbaum is staunchly opposed to U.S. military action, arguing that it would violate Mexico’s sovereignty and not solve the cartel violence problem.
She revealed in May that she had rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to send the U.S. army into Mexico to combat drug cartels. Sheinbaum said at the time that she told Trump that Mexico’s territory and sovereignty are “inviolable.”
Additional government support for flood victims
Sheinbaum said that people affected by severe flooding last month in Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí will begin receiving additional government support next week.
“On Monday the 10th [of November] distribution of the second round of support through the [state-owned] Well-Being Bank begins,” she said.
Sheinbaum noted that around 100,000 flood-affected families have already received 20,000 pesos (US $1,075) each from the government.
She said that the amount flood victims will receive in the second round of support depends on the extent of damage their homes sustained.
“In addition there will be support for businesses and support for [owners of] small farms that were affected by the rain,” Sheinbaum said.
The recent flooding in eastern and central Mexico claimed a total of 83 lives, according to the most recent update from the federal government. An additional 16 people were missing.
Sheinbaum-Macron meeting is this Friday
Sheinbaum said that various federal officials including her Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard will accompany her at her meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Mexico City this Friday.
She said that a reception will be held for Macron at the National Palace, and that a “private meeting” with the French president will follow.
Sheinbaum reiterated that her government is very interested in speaking to Macron about the repatriation of a pre-Hispanic codex — the Codex Azcatitlan, which is held by France’s national library.
She also said she would speak to the French president about the economic relationship between Mexico and France, and the new Mexico-European Union trade agreement, which is scheduled to take effect next year.
Sheinbaum said that bilateral collaboration on scientific, cultural and innovation issues will also be discussed during Friday’s meeting.
The president attended the G7 Summit alongside Macron and other world leaders in Canada earlier this year, so it won’t be the first time that she meets face-to-face with her French counterpart. On Thursday, Macron was in Belem, Brazil, for a leaders’ summit ahead of the COP30 climate conference.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
