US military intervention is 'ruled out' to battle drug cartels: Mexican president

MEXICO CITY

President Claudia Sheinbaum ruled out US military assistance in Mexico and praised the diplomatic relationship with her northern neighbor.

"It reaffirms what we have been saying, that any intervention by the United States is ruled out, let's put it that way, among other reasons," she said.

Sheinbaum’s comments stem from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s address during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Canada earlier this week, where he said Washington would not deploy military troops to Mexican territory nor engage in "one-sided" actions.

Rubio, however, did pledge to send military troops to Mexico, as well as intelligence assistance and equipment, if Mexico requested it.

"(There is) an agreement with the United States government on security issues, which guarantees sovereignty, the integrity of our territory, and collaboration and cooperation without subordination," added Sheinbaum.

Sheinbaum has had to face the insecurity crisis and organized crime violence plaguing Mexico one year into her administration, as well as provocations from her US counterpart, President Donald Trump.

Since the onset of his second term in January, Trump has attempted to force Sheinbaum into following his policies by threatening to impose tariffs on Mexican exports, while outside sources have claimed that, under Trump's orders, the US has considered military action against Mexican territory.

Sheinbaum pushed back on reports of violence in her country -- reporting a decline of 37% in homicides during her first year as president.

Moreover, in the last year, Mexico has extradited more than 50 high-ranking cartel members to the US, while Mexican armed forces have deployed thousands of troops to the northern border to stop drug trafficking and irregular immigration to the US.