Relations between Mexico and the United States are under severe strain following accusations by Washington that Mexican officials have been “in bed for years” with drug traffickers, and reports of CIA agents operating freely south of the border. Analysts describe the situation as the most tense since the 1980s.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded tersely to the allegations, stating: “There are many who are betting on the defeat and failure of the Mexican government. We want a good relationship with the United States government. What are our limits? The defence of sovereignty and respect for the Mexican people and their dignity.”
The tensions escalated after Drug Enforcement Agency director Terry Cole testified before the US Senate on Tuesday, claiming that “narco traffickers and high-ranking government officials in Mexico have been in bed for years” and are responsible for the death and destruction of record numbers of Americans. This follows months of pressure from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to send troops to Mexico.
Former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castañeda called it “the most tense, the most difficult situation since at least the 1980s”. Despite Trump’s threats, Sheinbaum had maintained a calm demeanour, even as Mexico transferred nearly 100 cartel members to the US and cooperated in the killing of a cartel leader in February. However, relations frayed after reports emerged that CIA agents had conducted a raid on a drug lab in northern Mexico without prior approval from the federal government, potentially violating the constitution.
The US justice department then charged the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, and nine other current and former Mexican officials for alleged ties to the Sinaloa cartel. Sheinbaum closed ranks, arguing that Washington had failed to produce meaningful evidence. “We will not allow any foreign government to come and decide the future of the Mexican people,” she said.
US acting attorney general Todd Blanche has warned of more charges against Mexican officials, and DEA director Cole said Rocha’s indictment was “just the start”. Analysts say Sheinbaum is being backed into a corner, forced to constantly defend against accusations. Meanwhile, a CNN report revealed that the CIA has intensified covert operations in Mexico, including facilitating the assassination of a cartel member in March.
