Mexico City, January 17, 2026 – The Europe Today: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday that her government’s initiatives to curb the power of drug cartels and reduce migration toward the United States are producing “compelling results,” as diplomatic tensions rise after threats of U.S. intervention.
Addressing the media in her morning press briefing, President Sheinbaum highlighted a significant drop in homicide rates, a sharp decrease in fentanyl seizures by U.S. authorities along the border, and lower migration figures as indicators of progress under Mexico’s security strategy—largely coordinated with U.S. counterparts. She emphasized that these gains reflect joint cooperation between both governments in combating shared threats.
Her remarks followed recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized Mexico’s handling of cartel violence and hinted that American forces might take direct action against cartel targets on Mexican soil. These comments sparked concern across Latin America, especially in the wake of a high‑profile U.S. military operation in Venezuela that ousted former President Nicolás Maduro.
In an apparent diplomatic effort to manage these tensions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mexican Foreign Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente issued a joint statement Thursday night after a bilateral phone call underscoring the need for continued cooperative efforts to confront shared security challenges.
President Sheinbaum reiterated her call for the United States to stem arms trafficking into Mexico, noting that the availability of weapons and drug demand in the U.S. fuel cartel violence south of the border. She stressed that addressing drug consumption as a public health issue in the United States is essential to a comprehensive solution.
Sheinbaum also spoke with President Trump by phone earlier this week, describing the conversation as “very good” and affirming Mexico’s stance that foreign military intervention is unnecessary, given the ongoing bilateral cooperation on security issues.
Meanwhile, Mexico continues to push back diplomatically against pressures perceived as threatening its sovereignty. Analysts note that recent dialogue reflects an attempt by Sheinbaum’s administration to maintain a strategic balance between domestic security priorities and sustaining constructive ties with Washington.
