Mexico City, Mexico – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced two constitutional reforms aimed at preventing foreign intervention and protecting national sovereignty after the United States designated six Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
U.S. President Donald Trump had campaigned on using U.S. troops to fight drug cartels within Mexico, sparking concern from the Mexican government about an encroachment on its national sovereignty.
During her morning briefing on January 20, the president revealed her intentions to pass two reforms regarding Mexican sovereignty and pretrial detention in the country.
“This cannot be an opportunity for the United States to invade our sovereignty. So, they can call them whatever name they decide, but with Mexico, it is collaboration and coordination, never subordination, no interference, and even less invasion,” said Sheinbaum.
The proposed bills, which will need to pass through Congress, relate to Articles 40 and 19 of Mexico’s Constitution. The first aims to amend Article 40 of the Constitution, which relates to Mexican sovereignty.
The intended reform adds that the Mexican people, under no circumstances, will accept “interventions, meddling or any other act from abroad that is detrimental to the integrity, independence, and sovereignty of the Nation.”
The amendment lists coups, interference in elections, or the violation of Mexican territory by “land, water, sea or airspace” as interventions that threaten Mexico’s sovereignty.
“Nor will it consent to intervene in any investigation or prosecution without the express authorization and collaboration of the Mexican State within the framework of the applicable laws,” read the added paragraph.
In addition, Sheinbaum also intends to reform Article 19, which encompasses crimes that merit pretrial detention, which adds crimes related to unlawful firearms and the offenses described in the added paragraphs of Article 40 that contravene Mexican sovereignty.
“Any national or foreigner involved in the illicit manufacture, distribution, sale, transfer or internment of weapons into the national territory, and any foreigner who carries out illegal activities related to the second and third paragraphs of Article 40 of this Constitution, shall be sentenced to the most severe penalty possible, as well as the precautionary measure of official preventive detention,” reads the reform to Article 19.
Sheinbaum’s proposed changes seem to try and head off threats by the Trump administration to use military and covert operations to combat cartels within Mexican territory.
If passed by Congress, Sheinbaum’s reforms would entail criminal indictment of U.S. officials attempting to conduct investigations or covert operations inside Mexican territory without the consent of the Mexican government, as well as limiting the use of firearms by U.S. Security Agents entering Mexico.
Featured image credit: via Conferencia de Prensa del 20 de Febrero
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