Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she held a “very cordial” phone conversation this Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which the two leaders reviewed security cooperation, drug trafficking, trade and investment, while reaffirming respect for national sovereignty.
Speaking during her morning press conference, Sheinbaum explained that the call followed recent statements by Trump and diplomatic contacts between Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Relations Juan Ramón de la Fuente and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “I also decided to reach out to President Trump for a telephone conversation,” she said.
According to Sheinbaum, security cooperation was a central topic of the discussion, with concrete results already visible. “The trafficking of fentanyl from Mexico to the United States has been reduced by 50 percent,” she said, citing data published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) based on seizures made on the U.S. side of the border.
She added that fentanyl-related deaths in the United States have declined by approximately 43 percent over the same period.
“CBP publishes how much fentanyl they have seized on the other side of the border, and that has fallen by 50 percent in one year,” she noted.
Sheinbaum also highlighted domestic security results in Mexico, saying that public data show a significant increase in the seizure of drug laboratories, arrests of suspects linked to organized crime, and a 40 percent reduction in homicides.
“All of this work has been carried out jointly, based on mutual understanding and respect for our sovereignties,” she said.
During the call, Trump offered additional U.S. assistance if requested. Sheinbaum said Mexico declined.
“We told him: ‘So far, we are doing very well; it is not necessary. Besides, there is the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Mexico to consider.’ And he understood,” she said.
Both leaders agreed to continue working through the bilateral security commission, which will hold its next meeting on January 22 and 23 in the United States.
“We will continue collaborating with the principles we have always established,” Sheinbaum said, adding that Mexico will focus on reducing illegal drug trafficking, while the U.S. addresses arms trafficking into Mexico.
Sheinbaum also confirmed that the two leaders briefly discussed Venezuela, noting that she emphasized Mexico’s constitutional principles.
“I clearly told him: ‘We have a Constitution, and those constitutional principles are very clear.”
The 15-minute call concluded with an agreement to continue discussions on other pending issues, including trade and the situation of Mexicans living in the United States.
“We agreed to keep talking about all the necessary topics in the bilateral relationship,” Sheinbaum said, reiterating that the tone of the conversation was cordial.
Related: Excerpts From President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morning Press Conference
