During a working tour of the state of Oaxaca, Sheinbaum was questioned about the US president's publication and responded with a message focused on the defense of national sovereignty and the foreign policy of his administration. “We are friends of the whole world and courage is the defense of sovereignty,” said the Mexican president at the end of a public event, insisting that Mexico maintains a relationship of respect with other nations, but that decisions about its internal policy correspond exclusively to Mexicans.
Trump shared a link to the column “Mexico’s Problem,” written by conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly and published last March. In the text, the analyst maintains that government corruption has favored the growth of violence and drug trafficking in Mexico, in addition to questioning that the Sheinbaum government does not allow the entry of US authorities to participate in operations against criminal organizations.
Defense of sovereignty and security policy
During her intervention in Oaxaca, the president linked her response to the principles of sovereignty and independence that, she said, have historically guided the country. "We defend sovereignty (...) sovereignty comes from the people and we also defend the independence of Mexico, that Mexicans decide what happens in our country. Nobody comes from abroad to tell us how our country is going to function," he expressed.
The publication shared by Trump also maintains that the Mexican government holds the United States responsible for drug consumption and illegal arms trafficking, arguments that O'Reilly considers insufficient to explain the violence generated by the cartels. The commentator concludes his article with a direct call to the Mexican president to modify her position towards Washington and strengthen cooperation in security matters.
The statements come at a time when both governments maintain coordination on issues such as the fight against organized crime and immigration control, although differences continue to exist regarding the limits of collaboration and respect for Mexican sovereignty.
Morena supports the president and responds to criticism
After the article was disseminated, Morena's parliamentary group in the Senate issued a letter addressed to O'Reilly in which it defended both the president and the federal government's security strategy. The legislators rejected that Mexican policy against organized crime could be described as “complacency” or “weakness” and argued that drug trafficking represents a transnational phenomenon that is also fed by the demand for drugs in the United States, illegal arms trafficking into Mexican territory and money laundering networks.
Likewise, the pro-government senators reiterated that Mexico and the United States maintain a relationship as commercial partners, neighbors and sovereign countries, which is why they expressed their willingness to continue bilateral cooperation in security matters, always under the principle of mutual respect. Finally, they warned that they will support any dialogue mechanism between both governments, but indicated that they will be “absolutely intransigent” towards any position that, in their opinion, represents a lack of respect for national sovereignty.
