DEA’s Project Gatekeeper Denied by Mexico

MEXICO CITY — The relationship between Mexico and the United States' Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is facing renewed tension. A recent announcement of the "Project Gatekeeper" initiative by the U.S. agency, intended to strengthen the fight against cartels, has been flatly denied by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who asserts that no such agreement exists with her government.

A Communiqué That Ignites Bilateral Conflict

On Monday, August 18, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a statement announcing the launch of "Project Gatekeeper." According to the agency, this initiative seeks to strengthen collaboration with Mexican partners in the "fight against the cartels" to dismantle smuggling networks that supply U.S. communities with "deadly synthetic drugs."

However, the following day, Tuesday, August 19, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, categorically denied any such pact. "They issued the statement, we don't know on what basis; we have not reached any agreement," she emphasized during her daily press conference.

The surprise at the DEA's announcement was total for the Mexican government. "At the same time that you learned about it, at that very moment I found out about the statement; the same for the Secretary of Security, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and the Navy," explained Sheinbaum.

Immediately after reading it, the president consulted with Omar García Harfuch, Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, to verify if any agreement had been signed with the anti-drug agency without her knowledge.

The president also expressed her dissatisfaction with the use of the phrase "the DEA and Mexico," considering it an equation of levels. "The Government of Mexico, who does it make agreements with? With the government of the United States, it is the same level," reiterated Sheinbaum, stating, "There is no particular agreement with this agency of the United States."

What is Project Gatekeeper and Who Are Its Partners?

The only public information available on "Project Gatekeeper" comes from the statement issued by the DEA. In it, the initiative is described as a flagship effort focused on dismantling "gatekeepers" or "porters," identified as key cartel members who control smuggling corridors. These corridors are the routes through which fentanyl and cocaine flow from Mexico to the United States, and through which weapons and cash return south.

"By targeting the gatekeepers directly, the DEA and our partners are hitting the heart of the cartel's command and control systems," the statement asserts.

The identity of these "partners" remains a point of controversy. In the United States, it is known that the initiative is coordinated with the National Security Task Force, and press reports have mentioned the participation of the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.

However, on the Mexican side, according to the country's highest authority, no institution is involved. "We have not reached any agreement, none of the security institutions, with the DEA," were the exact words of Sheinbaum, who added, "The only thing there is, is a group of police officers from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection who were taking a workshop in Texas."

The DEA communiqué details that "Project Gatekeeper" has launched a multi-week training program at an intelligence center located on its southwestern border. This program brings together Mexican investigators with police officers, prosecutors, lawyers, and defense and intelligence officials. The stated goal is to develop coordinated strategies, strengthen intelligence sharing, and identify targets of mutual interest for both countries.

A History of Friction and a New Attempt at Rapprochement

This recent disagreement seems to harken back to the stage of tension that characterized the relationship during the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) with the DEA. During the governments of Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto, an increase in the number of agents and technicians from the U.S. agency on Mexican soil was observed.

In contrast, López Obrador's six-year term was marked by deep mutual distrust, which materialized in 2020 with a series of reforms to the National Security Law, significantly limiting the activities of foreign agents in Mexico.

The arrival of Claudia Sheinbaum to the presidency, with Omar García Harfuch as Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, seemed to herald a change in this dynamic. García Harfuch is known for maintaining a good relationship with U.S. agencies.

Since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, operations against fentanyl trafficking in Mexico have been constant. Likewise, facing the threat of a trade war, Mexico has extradited 55 drug traffickers in two batches, including Rafael Caro Quintero, a priority figure for the United States due to his involvement in the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.

Terrance Cole, director of the DEA appointed by Donald Trump in February 2025, has stated that this new initiative, "Project Gatekeeper," reflects the priorities of his mandate: "Renew the DEA's commitment to law enforcement, dismantle cartels designated as terrorist organizations, and strengthen collaboration with foreign counterparts."

Cole added that "Project Gatekeeper and its new training program will show how we are going to fight, planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners."

However, despite these statements, the initiative does not appear to have found the expected echo south of the Rio Grande.