U.S. Presses Mexico for Border Security Results

Mexico City — The U.S. State Department warned that it will demand “concrete and verifiable” results from Mexico on security matters and considers “gradual progress” in addressing border challenges unacceptable. The message was disseminated on Thursday alongside a joint statement published simultaneously by the governments of Mexico and the United States. The statement reported that during a telephone call held today between Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both countries agreed to convene a high-level security meeting.

In publishing the statement about the call, the State Department maintained that “the United States made clear that gradual progress in addressing security challenges at the border is unacceptable,” and emphasized that “upcoming bilateral meetings with Mexico will demand concrete and verifiable results to dismantle narco-terrorism networks and achieve a real reduction in fentanyl trafficking, in order to protect communities on both sides of the border.” This public stance marked a different emphasis from the joint statement, which was identical in wording and disseminated by both parties.

According to the text shared by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the State Department, the call between De la Fuente and Rubio followed a conversation held earlier this week between President Claudia Sheinbaum and President Donald Trump. In the dialogue, the secretaries addressed the security challenges facing both countries and reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship, based on mutual respect for sovereignty, although they agreed that more needs to be done to confront shared threats.

Both officials, according to the statement, recognized that despite progress achieved, significant challenges persist on the common agenda. In that context, they agreed that the bilateral Security Implementation Group, whose next meeting is scheduled for January 23, must continue generating tangible actions to strengthen security cooperation, with significant results to counter cartels and stop the illicit trafficking of fentanyl and weapons across the shared border.

Furthermore, De la Fuente and Rubio agreed to follow up on bilateral initiatives aimed at promoting information exchange and reinforcing cross-border security actions, considered key to confronting criminal organizations operating on both sides of the border.

As a central part of the call, both secretaries agreed to convene a Ministerial Security Meeting to be held in February in Washington, D.C., marking the first anniversary of the start of a new chapter in bilateral security cooperation. According to the joint statement, this high-level meeting will allow for an assessment of progress achieved, identification of pending issues, and a clearer definition of expectations and future lines of collaboration between Mexico and the United States on a priority issue for both governments.