U.S. troops begin training in Mexico under new agreement

Mexico City — A group of 12 U.S. military personnel from the 7th Special Forces Group entered Mexico on Monday to begin a five-month joint training mission with Mexican forces, according to an official decree published in the country’s Federal Register.

The authorization, signed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, permits the entry of the U.S. Northern Command personnel, who arrived via a U.S. Air Force aircraft at Military Base No. 1 in Santa Lucía, State of Mexico. The soldiers are armed and their deployment falls under the “MEXSOF (Defense) Training” permit.

The training program will run from February 27 to July 15 at three locations:

• Temamatla, State of Mexico
• San Miguel de los Jagueyes, State of Mexico
• Military Air Base No. 4 in Cozumel, Quintana Roo

The soldiers will depart from Cozumel in July upon completion of the exercises.

The Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) must submit a results report within 30 days after the training concludes. While the Federal Register decree did not specify the types of weapons brought by the U.S. personnel, a Senate report outlined the planned activities.

The mission, approved by the Mexican Senate with 91 votes in favor and 6 abstentions, aims to “develop operational compatibility and strengthen military relations between the Special Forces of Mexico and the United States.”

Training will focus on patrolling, troop leadership, tactical medicine, communication methods, urban and rural combat, close-quarters combat, advanced marksmanship, sniper operations, countermeasures against improvised explosive devices and drones, combat diving, and maritime infiltration.

“Conducting these types of joint exercises contributes to the exchange of experiences, the strengthening of technical and tactical capabilities, and the consolidation of bilateral cooperation ties in defense matters between both countries,” the Senate resolution stated.