The president said coordinated patrols would continue after a reported shooting involving US Coast Guard personnel. Mexico says it could not verify shots from its side and has sent 500 personnel.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico will continue coordinated mirror operations with the United States along the Tamaulipas border to avoid incidents after a reported shooting involving US Coast Guard personnel, Xinhua reported from Mexico City.
She said Mexico is in contact with US Northern Command and the Coast Guard, and that security cooperation has to follow sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual trust and coordination without subordination. One mirror patrol had already taken place and another was under way, she said at her daily press conference.
US Ambassador Ronald Johnson said on Sunday that Coast Guard personnel had come under fire along the Tamaulipas border. Mexico's government said it could not verify that any shots were fired from the Mexican side.
Even so, Mexico deployed 500 military and National Guard personnel as part of the coordinated patrols. Sheinbaum said Mexico wants to keep a working security relationship with the United States within the constitution and Mexican law.
No joint finding on the reported shots was published with her remarks. The patrols are the operational step announced so far.
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- Sheinbaum said cooperation must respect sovereignty and must not be subordination.
- Mexico said it could not verify shots from its side of the border.