Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday denied a DEA announcement of a joint operation against cartel "gatekeepers" on the border. She said they haven't reached any agreement yet, contradicting the DEA's Monday description of a "bold bilateral initiative" targeting smuggling corridor operatives.
MexicanPresidentClaudia Sheinbaumon Tuesday shot down a statement by the US Drug Enforcement Agency that announced a joint initiative targetingdrug cartel"gatekeepers" along the US-Mexicoborder.
"The DEA issued a statement, we don't know the basis for it. We haven't reached any agreement, nor have our security agencies, with the DEA," Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference.
A statement from the DEA on Monday described a "bold bilateral initiative" withMexicotargeting "operatives who control the smuggling corridors along the Southwest Border."
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The program "brings together Mexican investigators with US law enforcement, prosecutors, defense officials, and members of the intelligence community," the DEA statement said.
Sheinbaum said that a group of Mexican police are participating in a training in Texas and a bilateral agreement "in the works for several months" is about to be signed, but "there is nothing more."
"Any joint statement must be done jointly. We won't confirm any statement issued by the United States when the Mexican government has not been consulted," she said.
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In its statement Monday, DEA administrator Terrance Cole said the new initiative and training program "show how we will fight -- by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners."
US PresidentDonald Trump's administration has threatened to hike trade tariffs ifMexicodoes not do more to stem smuggling ofdrugsand migrants along the shared border.
Sheinbaum has pledged to collaborate with Washington on tackling drug trafficking, while rejecting any "invasion" of her country's sovereignty.
Mexicohas sent wanted fugitives to the United States, including 26 last week, as part of efforts to crack down on cross-border fentanyl smuggling.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
