Sheinbaum responds sarcastically to Trump: "I could say, 'It's very difficult to live next to a country with such a high level of illicit drug use,' but I'm not going to say that"
"I could say, 'It's very difficult to live next to a country with such a high level of illicit drug use.' Or I could say, 'It's very difficult to live next to a country that produces so many weapons.' But I'm not going to say that," the president said.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (File photo)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded Wednesday to remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Mexico and the cartels during his speech before the United Nations General Assembly, and defended the cooperative relationship between the two governments.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum stated that Mexico maintains a good relationship with Trump and that both countries continue to work in a coordinated manner, though she insisted that any cooperation must be carried out while respecting Mexican sovereignty.
"I could say, 'It's very difficult to live next to a country with such a high level of illicit drug use.' Or I could say, 'It's very difficult to live next to a country that produces so many weapons.' But I'm not going to say that," the Mexican president said.
Sheinbaum explained that she decided not to raise those points because of the relationship she maintains with the U.S. government.
"I'm not going to say it. Because we have a good relationship with President Trump and the U.S. government. So, we're working in a coordinated manner and making progress," she noted.
The president also referred to the U.S. election and argued that Mexico could become an issue exploited during political campaigns.
"President Trump as well—they have an election in November. Often—and not just President Trump, but many presidents, senators and members of Congress—sometimes they use Mexico in their campaigns," she said.
Given this situation, Sheinbaum called on each country to focus its attention on its own problems and to maintain bilateral cooperation on matters where necessary.
"And as we've said, you'd better focus on the United States' problems. And we'll focus on Mexico's problems and collaborate where we need to, but while respecting our sovereignty," she stated.
The mayor added that her strategy does not involve maintaining a constant confrontation with the U.S. president.
"Nor is it about getting into arguments all the time with President Trump," she said.
Trump's remarks at the U.N.
The U.S. president asserted that Mexico "is the epicenter of cartel violence" and called it unacceptable for the United States to share a 2,000-mile border with a territory that, he claimed, is controlled by these organizations.
Trump also compared the cartels to "the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere" and asserted that Mexico must regain control of its territory.
However, during his remarks, he also noted that Sheinbaum's administration is seeking to dismantle the cartels and highlighted the relationship between the two governments. Trump stated that the United States maintains a "very good relationship" with Mexico and that the two countries have made progress in the fight against organized crime.
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