Sheinbaum Responds to Trump Criticism: "Mexico is Friends with Everyone"

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum asserted that "Mexico is friends with everyone" in response to former U.S. President Donald Trump sharing an opinion column critical of her administration's security strategy. Trump had amplified a piece by commentator Bill O'Reilly on his Truth Social platform, which accused the Mexican government of corruption and linked it to drug trafficking and violence. The column also criticized Sheinbaum for not allowing U.S. authorities greater access within Mexico.

During a visit to Oaxaca, Sheinbaum, when questioned about Trump's post, stated, "We are friends with everyone, and courage is the defense of sovereignty." She linked the defense of sovereignty and independence to the Mexican people's right to decide their country's path without external interference, framing these principles as central to her administration's agenda and Mexico's historical struggles.

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We are friends with everyone, and courage is the defense of sovereignty.

"We defend sovereignty... sovereignty stems from the people, and we also defend Mexico's independence, that Mexicans decide what happens in our country. No one from abroad tells us how our country should function," Sheinbaum declared. The ruling Morena party's senators in the Mexican Senate echoed this sentiment, sending a letter to O'Reilly defending Sheinbaum and the government's security strategy.

The senators rejected characterizations of Mexico's stance on organized crime as "complacency" or "weakness." They argued that transnational drug trafficking is fueled by demand in the United States and the illegal flow of weapons from the U.S. The senators also called for efforts to curb arms trafficking and money laundering originating from the United States, highlighting the shared responsibility in addressing these issues.

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We defend sovereignty... sovereignty stems from the people, and we also defend Mexico's independence, that Mexicans decide what happens in our country. No one from abroad tells us how our country should function.