Under the leadership of President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico is working to restore its security cooperation with the United States, which had suffered during the tenure of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Omar García Harfuch, who serves as the Security Cabinet coordinator, has become instrumental in this renewed partnership. He has engaged in multiple discussions with high-ranking US officials, concentrating on intelligence sharing and strategies to combat organized crime. Mexican authorities acknowledge that the swifter exchange of information has enabled them to respond more effectively to criminal activities.
During Sheinbaum’s administration, significant progress has been reported, including the arrest of tens of thousands of individuals, the seizure of substantial quantities of weapons and drugs, and the dismantling of numerous hidden drug manufacturing sites. Additionally, there has been a noticeable increase in the extradition of prominent criminal suspects to the United States, accompanied by a reported decline in fentanyl trafficking. This renewed collaborative effort represents a departure from López Obrador’s approach, which saw the closure of a US intelligence unit in Mexico and the imposition of stricter limitations on foreign security personnel.
Relations between the two countries had further deteriorated in 2020 with the arrest of former Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos and disagreements over organized crime investigations. The situation worsened in 2024 when reports surfaced alleging connections between drug-trafficking funds and López Obrador’s 2006 presidential campaign. Although these allegations did not lead to formal charges, they strained trust between Mexican authorities and their US counterparts.
Despite the steps towards closer cooperation, President Sheinbaum continues to emphasize the importance of Mexico’s sovereignty and insists on mutual respect between the two nations. Her administration has expressed discontent over perceived attempts by US officials to influence or fragment Mexico’s security leadership. As a result, while both countries aim for enhanced coordination in the fight against organized crime, Mexico remains steadfast that intelligence collaboration must align with its sovereignty and national interests.