Mexican President Rejects DEA Statement Linking Government to Cartels

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected a statement by the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that described her government and criminal cartels as one and the same. Sheinbaum made the comments during her daily news conference on Wednesday.

She said the DEA remarks appeared more like a political statement than one backed by evidence. She added that the DEA should focus on combating drug trafficking, distribution, and money laundering inside the United States. She noted that the U.S. is the world's largest market for illicit drugs.

Background to the exchange On Tuesday, DEA Administrator Terry Cole said the Mexican government and cartel networks were one and the same. The Mexican government responded that Cole's remarks did not reflect its efforts to work with the U.S. to combat cartels. Mexico said it remains willing to collaborate with the U.S. to combat crime as long as its sovereignty is respected.

Recent U.S. actions The U.S.

Department of the Treasury announced that two more criminal organizations in Mexico, the Juarez Cartel and Los Viagras, had been designated foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists. Sheinbaum has faced repeated accusations from U.S. officials that Mexico is run by cartels.

Her administration has rejected the prospect of U.S. military operations on Mexican soil without federal consent. Earlier this week, Mexico filed criminal complaints with U.S. prosecutors over the deaths of Mexican nationals swept up in the U.S. mass deportation campaign.