Mexico rejects US DEA chief's claim of cartel links to government

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected remarks by the head of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration that suggested Mexico's government is aligned with criminal cartels. Speaking at her daily news conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum said the comments were baseless and sounded more like a political statement than one supported by evidence. The dispute adds to an already tense debate over how the two countries should cooperate on drugs and security.

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The comments came after DEA Administrator Terry Cole said on Tuesday that the Mexican government and cartel networks were "one and the same". Mexico's government responded that the remarks did not reflect its efforts to work with the United States against organised crime. It said cooperation would continue, but only if Mexico's sovereignty was respected.

Sheinbaum also said the DEA should focus on drug trafficking, distribution and money laundering inside the United States, which she described as the world's largest market for illicit drugs. The exchange is the latest sign of friction in a relationship shaped by repeated pressure from Washington for Mexico to do more against crime and drug trafficking. Since Donald Trump returned to office for a second term, Sheinbaum has faced renewed criticism from the United States, including claims from Trump and some of his officials that Mexico is effectively run by cartels.

Sheinbaum has pushed back against that framing while still promising close cooperation with Washington. The issue matters because it goes to the centre of bilateral security policy between the two neighbours. Mexico has repeatedly rejected any suggestion that the United States could carry out military operations on its soil without federal consent.

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That position reflects a long-standing sensitivity over sovereignty, especially when US officials link Mexican institutions to organised crime. The latest remarks also risk complicating cooperation on investigations, border security and anti-money-laundering efforts. Sheinbaum's response also fits a broader pattern in which her government has tried to balance cooperation with public resistance to what it sees as unilateral or militarised US pressure.

In April, she criticised a US indictment involving Sinaloa governor Ruben Rocha, saying no evidence had been presented to support the allegation that his campaign worked with the Sinaloa Cartel to influence the 2021 gubernatorial election. She argued then, as now, that corruption and criminal infiltration are domestic problems that must be addressed with evidence and within Mexico's legal framework. What remains unclear is whether the latest dispute will affect day-to-day security coordination or lead to any formal diplomatic response.

Mexico has said it remains willing to work with the United States against crime, but only on terms that respect its sovereignty. The next developments to watch are whether US officials clarify Cole's remarks and whether both governments try to contain the fallout while continuing joint anti-cartel efforts.

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