The United States May Launch Military Operations in Mexico: Trump

US President Donald Trump has indicated that successful military operations against Latin American drug cartels may be expanded into Mexico as well.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office of the White House on Monday, he made the remarks.

Trump said, “Should I launch a military operation in Mexico to stop drugs? For me, that is fine. I am talking to Mexico. They know exactly where I stand.”

He added, “Hundreds of thousands of people die in our country every year due to drugs. We have blocked maritime drug routes through our operations, and we know every route used by the cartels.”

However, he did not specify when or how such an operation might take place. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously opposed any form of military action on Mexican soil.

Jeff Garmany, Associate Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of Melbourne, told the media, “Military action against Mexico City cannot be carried out merely with words. There are significant legal barriers—some domestic and others international. There are also key principles of international diplomacy that, although not legally binding, are generally followed by UN member states.”

He added, “But Trump, in his second term, cannot be expected to reliably follow these laws and protocols. So, I would not be surprised if he launches an attack without consulting the Mexican government.”

Two weeks ago, US media outlet NBC reported—citing two government officials—that the White House is preparing an initial-stage ground operation in Mexico. This mission would be conducted jointly with US intelligence agencies and would focus on drone strikes against drug warehouses and cartel members.

On Monday, Trump indicated that a shortlist of targets has already been prepared.

“We know every route. We know the address of every drug kingpin. We know their front doors. We know everything about them,” Trump told reporters.

He described the situation in the United States as “like a war”, claiming that cartels supplying cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl were “killing” millions of Americans.

Garmany told the media that the impact of a US attack might be minimal due to the immense power of Mexican drug cartels. “Twenty years after declaring the ‘war on drugs’, the Mexican government trapped itself in a prolonged and deadly conflict,” he said.

He further stated, “Mexican cartels are among the world’s most powerful and organised criminal networks. They possess vast resources and occupy a unique geographical location between the United States and the rest of Latin America. Targeted military strikes would be more symbolic than effective, and would not stop one of the most profitable illegal drug supply chains in the world.”

Since taking office in January, Trump has used executive orders and legal loopholes to justify military action against drug cartels without approval from Congress. Six cartels have been designated as ‘foreign terrorist organisations’, allowing the White House to justify military action as a matter of national security.

Since September, the White House has conducted at least 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific against alleged drug-trafficking vessels, killing at least 80 people. However, the United States has yet to present evidence publicly to support accusations that the Venezuelan government is linked to cartels such as Tren de Aragua.

Source: Reuters, NBC, Al Jazeera

Khaborwala/TSN