Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in an operation carried out by U.S. armed forces, President Donald Trump gave an interview to Fox News in which he explained his government’s arguments for intervening in Venezuela.
During the conversation, the president not only defended the military action, but also directly addressed his administration’s relationship with Mexico and with President Claudia Sheinbaum, which generated wide political and media repercussions.
Trump: A message for Mexico?
In the exchange with the network’s journalists, Trump was questioned about whether the operation in Venezuelan territory should be interpreted as a warning or message to the Mexican government. The president responded that the action was not planned with that specific objective and stressed that he maintains a cordial relationship with the Mexican president. “It was not planned as a message. We are very friendly with her, she is a good woman,” he affirmed.
However, in the same context, Trump launched critical statements by assuring that, in his opinion, the real power in Mexico is not fully in the hands of the government. “She doesn’t run Mexico; the cartels run Mexico,” he said, a phrase that quickly spread through social networks and international media. The president added that he could opt for a more “politically correct” stance and say that the situation is under control, but insisted that, from his perspective, the Mexican president faces constant pressure from organized crime.
Trump also noted that the Mexican government has refused to allow greater US involvement in security matters. As he explained, this refusal comes despite what he sees as a crisis related to drug trafficking. “She is very scared of the cartels that run Mexico, but she has refused to let us do anything to help her,” he stated. In that sense, he affirmed that the United States “has to do something” due to the thousands of deaths that, according to his words, are caused by drugs entering his country through the southern border.
The President closed this issue with a phrase that provoked immediate reactions in both Mexico and the United States: “We will have to do something about Mexico”, a comment that was interpreted by several analysts as a sign of a possible hardening of U.S. policy towards its southern neighbor.
Response from the Mexican Government
Before Trump’s statements were disseminated, President Claudia Sheinbaum issued an official statement in which she strongly condemned the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.
In the document, the Government of Mexico expressed its rejection of the unilateral actions, considering that they violate Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, which establishes respect for sovereignty and non-intervention among States.
Other Mexican government figures and political allies, such as Lenia Batres and Gerardo Fernández Noroña, also joined this position, expressing their disagreement with the military intervention and reiterating the need to respect the sovereignty of countries.
The crossed statements between the two governments marked a new episode of diplomatic tension and opened an international debate on the limits of intervention and cooperation in security matters.
Here is the video of the interview where Trump warns Mexico.
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