MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed mounting unease on Monday concerning recent U.S. military movements in regions close to Mexico, set against a backdrop of broader geopolitical tensions following the U.S. administration's actions against Venezuela's leadership earlier this month.
On Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a cautionary advisory urging U.S.-registered aircraft operators to be vigilant when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean adjacent to Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. The advisory cited "military activities" as the basis for this recommendation.
President Sheinbaum detailed that her administration took a measured approach, withholding immediate comment until receiving formal written assurance from the U.S. government confirming that no U.S. military aircraft would traverse Mexican airspace. She emphasized that Mexico had not been briefed in advance regarding these American military maneuvers.
Following these assurances, the U.S. government supplied exact coordinates of their operational zones, prompting Mexican authorities to issue a statement clarifying that the FAA's advisory held no direct implications for Mexican territory.
Subsequently, images surfaced on social media depicting a U.S. military transport plane stationed at Toluca airport, located roughly 63 kilometers west of Mexico City. These images stirred further questions and prompted Senator Clemente Castañeda, representing the opposition Citizen Movement party, to seek governmental explanations. He referenced the constitutional requirement that any deployment of Mexican forces abroad or permission for foreign troops on Mexican soil must receive Senate approval.
President Sheinbaum characterized the incident as a "logistical" operation exempt from such legislative oversight. She explained, "The United States plane landed, and public servants boarded it to travel back to the U.S. for training purposes. Authorization for this action came from our Secretary of Defense."
Complementing her statement, her security cabinet posted on the social platform X that these training activities were conducted within the framework of established protocols and bilateral collaboration agreements between Mexico and the United States.
These events underscore the sensitive nature of current Mexico-U.S. relations, especially after the Trump administration undertook a unilateral operation targeting Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro, coupled with renewed discourse—including offers and threats—regarding direct U.S. military intervention against Mexico’s drug cartels.
President Sheinbaum and former U.S. President Trump recently held discussions pertaining to these matters. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing cooperation on security challenges, with Mexico firmly asserting that it will safeguard its sovereignty against violations.
Security officials from both countries are scheduled for a meeting on Friday intended to advance collaborative efforts. According to a joint release issued last Thursday, the agenda will focus on delivering concrete measures to enhance security cooperation, curb cartel activities, and impede the illicit trafficking of fentanyl and weaponry across the shared border.