Mexican leader announces request for US drone surveillance operations

MEXICO CITY — On Wednesday, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico announced that drone surveillance missions being conducted by the United States over Mexican territory are taking place with the cooperation and request of her government.
These operations coincide with heightened demands from the U.S. government, particularly during the administration of former President Donald Trump, for Mexico to intensify its efforts in combating the production of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is often trafficked into the U.S.

Earlier this month, Trump had issued a warning regarding potential tariffs of 25% on Mexican imports, which he claimed were intended to compel Mexico to take more decisive action against drug cartels. On his first day in office, he also designated certain Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, with official notifications about these classifications set to be released in the upcoming Federal Register.

In response to the looming threat of tariffs, Mexico deployed 10,000 National Guard troops along its northern border.

The drone surveillance operations were reported recently by the New York Times, attributing them to a Central Intelligence Agency initiative aimed at identifying fentanyl manufacturing sites in northwestern Mexico. This comes in light of U.S. military announcements indicating enhanced surveillance activities along the shared border. The CIA, however, chose not to comment when approached regarding the drone operations.

Last week, Mexico’s Defense Secretary, Ricardo Trevilla, mentioned the presence of U.S. military aircraft and stated that while they had not entered Mexican airspace, he could not completely dismiss the possibility of them conducting espionage activities, as he was unaware of the precise nature of their operations.

In her press briefing, Sheinbaum provided additional context, stating, “These flights form part of the coordination and collaboration that has been ongoing for many years between the governments of the United States and Mexico.” She emphasized that such operations typically take place at Mexico’s request, aimed at gathering information necessary for addressing security challenges.
She also indicated that the intelligence acquired from these flights is subsequently shared with Mexican authorities to enhance their efforts in managing the situation.