Mexico City — The United States has signed an agreement with Mexico to allow the country to acquire drones and counter-drone systems to fight organized crime, US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced Sunday.
Agreement Expands Defense Technology Access
In a social media post, Johnson said US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and Mexico’s National Defense Secretariat signed a declaration of intent this week to strengthen strategic and operational capabilities through defense innovation and new technologies.
The agreement gives Mexico’s Defense Department access to the US Army’s digital marketplace to purchase unmanned aerial systems and counter-unmanned aircraft systems at competitive costs, Johnson said. He added that the technology would “strengthen our ability to combat the cartels” and address shared security challenges.
US Returns Fugitives to Mexico
In a separate message, Johnson said the bilateral security cooperation effort, championed by President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, sends a clear message to criminals: “they will be captured and held accountable.”
He said US authorities returned three fugitives wanted in Mexico in a single day: a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) sought for a firearms-related crime in Guanajuato, a fugitive wanted for homicide in Zacatecas, and a third person wanted for fraud.
US Resumes Operations in Michoacán
The announcement came days after the US government fully resumed its official activities in Michoacán on Thursday. The US had suspended operations there after a security assessment, affecting inspectors who certify avocado exports. Johnson credited the Mexican government, particularly its Security Cabinet, for the coordination that allowed the full resumption.
