Mexican Senate Approves Entry of U.S. Soldiers for Joint Training Exercises

Mexico City — Mexico’s Senate approved the temporary entry of 12 U.S. Army soldiers on Tuesday for joint special forces training exercises, a move that comes amid recent tensions between the two nations.

The Senate passed the measure with 91 votes in favor and six abstentions during a fast-track vote. The authorization allows members of the U.S. 7th Special Forces Group to participate in the MEXSOF (Defense) training exercise from February 27 to July 15.

The soldiers will conduct training activities at three locations: the Special Forces Training Center in Temamatla, the Regional Training Center of the First Military Region in San Miguel de los Jagüeyes (both in the State of Mexico), and at Military Air Base No. 4 in Cozumel, Quintana Roo.

During committee discussions, Senator Juanita Guerra Mena described the exercise as “limited, temporary, and supervised,” saying it would strengthen Mexican special forces’ preparation against complex transnational threats. She emphasized that the training does not imply dependence but aims to act “with intelligence and responsibility,” aligning with the National Development Plan 2025-2030’s security, defense, and sovereignty objectives.

Opposition Senator Alejandra Barrales requested more information about the planned activities and proposed a dialogue with Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo to understand the agreement’s strategy and scope. She warned that the authorization should not be interpreted as automatic consent, particularly given recent U.S. warnings and reports of drone overflights in Mexican territory.

The decision comes just one week after the Senate approved the participation of 19 U.S. Navy personnel in joint training exercises with Mexican forces in Campeche between February and April.

The approval occurs against a backdrop of recent tensions following statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump about potential actions against Mexican cartels and reports of drone overflights in national territory, raising questions about the coordination, limits, and supervision of these exercises.