Mexico and the U.S. agree to collaborate with “respect” after meeting between Sheinbaum and Mullin

Mexico City.- Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, received at the National Palace the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security of the United States, Markwayne Mullin, with whom she agreed to maintain bilateral cooperation “within the framework of respect” between both countries amid recent tensions due to Washington’s pressure to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking. “We received at the National Palace the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security of the United States, Markwayne Mullin. We agreed to continue collaborating jointly within the framework of respect for our countries,” the president wrote in a brief message on social media. The meeting occurs at an especially sensitive moment in the bilateral relationship, marked by an increase in tensions between both governments in matters of security and the fight against drug trafficking.

Tension between the U.S. and Mexico

Mullin’s visit, who took office less than two months ago, represents the first trip to Mexico by a member of Donald Trump’s presidential cabinet in 2026; and it comes after the visit made in September of last year by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. We recommend reading: Before the meeting, Sheinbaum had indicated that the visit would serve to maintain bilateral coordination on security, although she insisted that any collaboration mechanism must respect Mexican sovereignty. The expectation of a possible meeting with the Mexican president had increased in recent days, due to the context of growing pressure from Washington on the Mexican government for the fight against drug trafficking and following precedents such as the visit of the then Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, last year.

Approaches

The bilateral approach also occurs a few days after the phone call between Sheinbaum and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, which the Mexican president described as “cordial and excellent”. Bilateral relations are going through a delicate moment following the formal accusation by the US Department of Justice against ten high-ranking officials from the state of Sinaloa, including the ruling governor, Rubén Rocha Moya, for alleged drug trafficking and weapons possession, accusations that the Mexican government has said must be supported by evidence to proceed legally.