Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is proposing constitutional changes to protect Mexico’s sovereignty after President Donald Trump officially designated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. She argues the U.S. made the decision unilaterally and insists Mexico will combat cartels through cooperation, not coercion.
Key Facts:
- President Trump designated Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations on his second day in office.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the designation official on Feb. 6, and it took effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
- Sheinbaum opposes the designation, saying cartels are profit-driven, not political.
- Mexico plans constitutional changes to strengthen penalties for arms trafficking and fentanyl-related crimes.
- Mexico has deployed 10,000 National Guard troops to reinforce the border and stop drug trafficking.
The Rest of The Story:
Trump’s executive order describes the cartels as violent organizations that control illegal border crossings through assassination, terror, and brute force.
His administration argues that the cartels’ influence extends beyond drug smuggling, destabilizing Mexico and posing a direct threat to U.S. security.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that “all options will be on the table” to deal with the cartels, signaling potential U.S. military action if Mexico does not effectively crack down.
Sheinbaum, however, insists on protecting Mexico’s sovereignty and proposes increasing penalties for arms trafficking while blaming the U.S. for supplying 70% of illegal firearms seized in Mexico.
Mexico also recently agreed to strengthen border protections after reaching a temporary trade deal with Trump to prevent 25% tariffs on imports.
As part of this agreement, Sheinbaum ordered the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops.
🚨Update: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is moving quickly to change the Mexican constitution to protect the Cartels from US attacks! Is she working for the Cartels? pic.twitter.com/Epc5Qgw3H7
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) February 21, 2025
Commentary:
Mexico cannot have it both ways.
If Sheinbaum wants the U.S. to stay out of Mexican affairs, then Mexico must take decisive action against the cartels.
These organizations are not small criminal enterprises—they are powerful, militarized groups responsible for flooding American cities with fentanyl and other deadly drugs.
Hundreds of thousands of American lives have been lost, and the crisis continues to grow.
For years, Mexico has failed to dismantle these cartels, allowing them to operate with near impunity.
The U.S. has no choice but to act when its citizens are being poisoned and violent criminal networks operate freely just across the border.
Sheinbaum’s response—constitutional changes and border deployments—feels like too little, too late.
If Mexico refuses to step up, Trump may have no choice but to take stronger action.
Military intervention may not be the preferred option, but failing to address the crisis is not an option at all.
The message to Mexico is simple: take the fight to the cartels, or the U.S. will.
The Bottom Line:
Mexico’s leadership is pushing back against Trump’s efforts to crack down on drug cartels, arguing that the U.S. is overstepping its bounds.
But without serious action from Mexico, cartel violence will continue to spill across the border.
If Sheinbaum’s government won’t do what’s necessary, Trump will.
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