On February 20, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico will never tolerate any interference in its national sovereignty. She is considering promoting a constitutional amendment to deal with possible foreign interference.
Sheinbaum said at a regular press conference on the 20th that the US government listed Latin American drug - trafficking groups, including six Mexican drug - trafficking cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations without consulting with Mexico. Mexico opposes this approach.
Sheinbaum stated, "Under no circumstances will the Mexican people accept foreign intervention, meddling, or any other actions that undermine the country's integrity, independence, and sovereignty."
During the tenure of former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico had already legislated to restrict the activities of foreign agents in the country, requiring them to report their movements to the government. Sheinbaum suggested enshrining these restrictions in the constitution.
Sheinbaum also proposed amending the constitution to impose the harshest legal penalties on foreigners involved in the manufacture, smuggling, and distribution of weapons.
On the 20th, the US government issued the "Federal Register", officially designating eight drug - trafficking groups rooted in Latin America, such as the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico and the "Aragua Train" in Venezuela, as "foreign terrorist organizations". The Canadian government followed the US and listed seven drug - trafficking groups as "foreign terrorist organizations".
Sheinbaum said that these drug - trafficking groups do not act for political purposes like other organizations on the US terrorist list but for profit. "In the face of (the US) designation, we want to make it clear that sovereignty is non - negotiable," she said. "This cannot be an opportunity for the US to interfere in Mexico's sovereignty."