Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday brushed aside reports of secret US drone monitoring of drug cartels, calling the reports part of a “little campaign” but offering no further explanation.
Sheinbaum was answering a reporter’s question about a CNN story that reported the CIA had been employing MQ-9 Reaper drones for gathering intelligence in Mexico. “It’s part of this little campaign,” she replied, employing a Spanish diminutive that appeared to minimize the problem. It was not clear whether she meant US media coverage, Trump’s security policy, or something else in US-Mexico relations.
The report is the first to cite publicly such clandestine drone activities in Mexico.
Sheinbaum’s remarks are made as tensions between Mexico and the US escalate over violence from drug cartels and fentanyl smuggling. President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist groups while sending more troops to the border and threatening tariffs on Mexico if it does not stem illegal migration and drug smuggling.
Sheinbaum last week admitted Mexico was aware of US military spy flights but said they were flown over American skies. She dismissed fears of military intervention by the Trump administration as something that would be viewed as an invasion of Mexican sovereignty.
Sheinbaum underscored that her administration would look for cooperation and transparency over any aerial observation activities. Nonetheless, she didn’t categorically confirm or refute awareness of American drone operations within Mexican territories.
