BOGOTA 

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that communication with her US counterpart Donald Trump is "very good."

Her remarks to reporters came after Trump confirmed Sunday that he offered to send US troops to Mexico to help battle drug cartels and said Sheinbaum is a "lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels."

Asked about his comments, Sheinbaum said she does not want to engage in a public debate with him.

"In just over three months of his government, we’ve had more than five calls, and the communication is good. Sometimes we don’t agree, but we say it in the telephone call, and there has been respect,” she said.

"So I don’t want the communication between President Trump and I, between the United States and Mexico, to be through the media and statements to the media,” she added.

Sheinbaum said Saturday that she had turned down a proposal from Trump to send American troops into Mexico to assist in combating drug cartels.