MEXICO CITY — On Wednesday, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico announced that surveillance drone operations conducted by the United States over Mexican territory are taking place with the consent and at the request of her administration. This cooperation comes amid increasing pressure from the U.S. government to address the rising production of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is trafficked into the United States.
In recent developments, there have been threats from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding potential tariffs on Mexican imports, aiming to compel Mexico to take stronger measures against drug cartels. Earlier this month, Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico, though he later postponed this action. He also labeled certain Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations on his first day in office; this designation is expected to appear in the Federal Register.
In reaction to the tariff threat, Mexico mobilized a significant number of resources, deploying 10,000 National Guard troops to reinforce its northern border. Reports from the New York Times noted that the drone flights are part of a Central Intelligence Agency initiative intended to pinpoint fentanyl production sites in northwestern Mexico. This follows U.S. military announcements regarding enhanced surveillance operations along the shared border.
Mexico’s Defense Secretary, Ricardo Trevilla, commented on the situation last week, indicating that, while U.S. military planes had not crossed into Mexican airspace, he could not definitively say they were not conducting surveillance activities as their objectives were unclear.
Sheinbaum provided a clearer perspective on Wednesday, detailing the context of the drone flights in a press briefing. “These flights are part of the ongoing collaboration and coordination between the governments of the United States and Mexico,” she stated. “Each time these operations occur, it is done at Mexico’s request for assistance and information to improve our security conditions.” Additionally, she confirmed that any intelligence gathered through these flights is being shared with Mexican authorities for further action.
