Mexico downplays likelihood of US military action against drug cartels

After the United States military intervention in Venezuela the Mexican government and analysts discounted the likelihood of unilateral US military action against Mexican drug cartels despite threats from President Donald Trump Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaums administration has been complying with Washingtons demands and the economic ties between the two countries are vital they sayNonetheless many expect more such threats as a way to extract more concessions from Mexico No one dares rule out completely an unexpected move by the US president Sheinbaum downplayed the possibility of US military action Monday I dont see risks of that she said There is coordination there is collaboration with the United States governmentI dont believe in the possibility of invasion I dont believe even that its something they are taking seriously she said Organised crime is not taken care with foreign military interventionHere are some of the reasonsMexico is not VenezuelaMexico has a radically different situation from that of Venezuela or other countries Washington is eying like Cuba First Sheinbaum is a popular and legitimately elected president Second Mexico is the main commercial partner of the United States a country where 40 million Mexicans live Third US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recognised that there is highlevel cooperation with Mexico said Martha Baacutercena former Mexican ambassador to the United StatesThreats a negotiation weaponTrump and his collaborators have flirted with the idea of invading or attacking the cartels in Mexico since his election campaign but in increasingly measured tones Sheinbaum has confirmed that the idea of US military intervention in Mexico has been brought up repeatedly in her conversations with Trump but said she has always rejected the offer She sees it has a nonstarter and insists that her relationship with Trump is one of mutual respectThe threat though similar to those about tariffs on Mexican imports some carried out and others not have been a negotiation weapon to get commercial diplomatic and political advantages said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo Rubio and Trump play good cop bad cop with Trump threatening and Rubio smoothing over he saidMexico is doing what the US asksMexico is doing almost everything that Washington has requested since Trump began imposing tariffs experts say Sheinbaums administration became more aggressive toward the cartels than her predecessor There have been more arrests drug seizures and extraditions Mexico has agreed to receive more deportees from other countriesIntervention military action in Mexico would suspend that cooperation said Carlos Peacuterez Ricart a political analyst at Mexicos Centre for Economic Research and Teaching CIDE That would be a great risk to the US because it would be left without a partner to work with he added Saucedo said that US military action in Mexico would require money logistics and risks while a comment a post on social networks doesnt cost anything and has been very effectiveMore pressure to comeAnalysts believe the threats will continue to be the Trump administrations negotiation style especially this year when the USMexicoCanada free trade agreement USMCA is up for revision Saucedo said Trump could demand more access for US security agencies even if operations are presented publicly as coordinated and carried out by Mexico He could also pressure Mexico for more highprofile captures or to stop exporting oil to Cuba or threaten new tariffsWith the ongoing negotiations over punitive tariffs the statutory revision of the USMCA and the delicate antidrug cooperation agenda the Mexican government will have to be very meticulous in its position and statements Arturo Sarukhaacuten another former Mexican ambassador to the US said Rallying around Maduro would cost Mexico dearly as could Mexicos ongoing support of CubaBaacutercena the diplomat said that what Mexico still needs to address is political corruption tied to organized crime while still defending international law No one is willing to rule out US military intervention even if the possibility is very slim The United States does not function under rational logic Peacuterez Ricart the analyst said At this moment all possibilities are open including those unimaginable a year agoThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever