Mexico announced on Thursday that it will amend the Constitution to shield it from any foreign interference, including interventions in the investigation and prosecution of criminals, and to impose the harshest penalties on foreigners involved in arms trafficking.
President Claudia Sheinbaum explained in her morning conference that these changes are a response to the designation of six Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations by the Donald Trump administration, a move that could facilitate military actions against these groups or their collaborators.
“We want to make it clear that we do not negotiate sovereignty… this cannot be an excuse for the United States to violate our sovereignty,” emphasized Sheinbaum, insisting that any action against organized crime must be based on coordination and cooperation between both countries.
One of the proposed paragraphs states that no intervention in the investigation and prosecution of crime will be allowed without the express authorization of the Mexican State, in accordance with applicable laws. It also prohibits any intrusion by land, water, sea, or airspace.
The laws approved by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) already restricted the activities of foreign agents in Mexican territory, requiring that Mexico be informed of all their operations. This caused concern among U.S. officials due to the infiltration of organized crime at various levels of the Mexican government. With this reform, these restrictions will be enshrined in the Constitution.
Additionally, the proposal states that any national or foreigner involved in the manufacture, distribution, trafficking, or illegal entry of weapons into Mexico will face the harshest possible penalty, along with preventive detention. This measure is particularly aimed at U.S. citizens, as more than 70% of the weapons used by Mexican cartels come from the United States.
Finally, Sheinbaum announced that Mexico will expand its lawsuit filed in U.S. courts against firearms manufacturers and distributors in the United States, accusing them of “complicity” with Mexican organized crime, which is one of the largest buyers of their products.
