The news release from the Drug Enforcement Administration trumpeted a “bold bilateral initiative” with the Mexican government to crack down on cartels that smuggle drugs across the southern border.
It was the sort of collaboration that both Mexico and the United States have called necessary and welcome to combat the powerful cartels, which have driven a wedge between the two nations.
But on Tuesday morning, a day after the D.E.A.’s announcement, President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico opened her daily news conference by saying she had no idea what U.S. officials were talking about.
“I want to clarify something,” she said. “There is no agreement with the D.E.A. The D.E.A. issues the statement, we don’t know based on what. We haven’t reached any agreement — none of the security institutions have — with the D.E.A.”
The D.E.A. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It appeared the news release was briefly taken offline shortly after her comments, but it was available again Tuesday morning.
The confusion was the latest public divergence between the Mexican and U.S. governments, amid an intense pressure campaign by the Trump administration to get Mexico to do more against cartels that has often left Ms. Sheinbaum on the defensive.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The post Mexico’s President Denies New D.E.A. Partnership Against Cartels appeared first on New York Times.
