Emir Olivares Alonso
Sent
La Jornada Newspaper
Saturday, January 24, 2026, p. 4
Veracruz, Ver., Faced with the controversy over the recent landing in Mexico of a United States Air Force plane to transport Mexican agents to training, the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch, pointed out that it was at the invitation of the Northern Command for tactical specialization, maneuvers and shooting courses.
In yesterday’s presidential morning, when asked about the subject, he stressed that since it was an invitation to civilian security personnel, only the authorization of the National Defense was required for the troops to go abroad. They will be between 40 and 45 days at a military base in Mississippi.
“They are not new trainings, they have been done for many years, where for each training there is support with an official letter, whether it is an invitation from some authority in the United States or a request from Mexican authorities.”
He stressed that security collaboration between both countries takes place with respect for sovereignty, so each authority operates within its own territory, and rejected the existence of US troops deployed in Mexico.
“The President has been very clear, all exchanges of information are welcome, including training. We can share practices, but everyone operates in their own territory, with absolute respect for sovereignty; we never have US agents operating in Mexico or us there. And with the exchange of information we have had different favorable results for both countries.”
He denied that the recent captures of César Alejandro Sepúlveda Arellano, Botoxleader of the group The Whites of Troyand Iván Valerio Sainz Salazar, The Mantecasa member of the Beltrán Leyva cartel, have been finalized through the exchange of information with Washington.
“Many (arrests) have been 100 percent by Mexican intelligence. And when there has been an exchange of information, for example, people from the FBI’s 10 most wanted have been detained here, and the captures have been 100 percent by Mexican authorities from the security cabinet.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted that her administration has been “very clear” with the White House regarding the terms of coordination, always based on mutual respect and shared responsibilities. Just as Mexico acts to confront drug trafficking, the counterpart must do the same in its territory.
When asked about the investigation against Carlos Torres, former husband of the governor of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila, for his alleged participation in a network of arms trafficking, drug trafficking and laundering, the head of the Executive said that it is information that the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic must offer.
García Harfuch pointed out that after the arrest of Botoxin Michoacán, there were some riots promoted by members of his criminal group; However, after a timely and coordinated reaction from the National Guard and the state police, they were controlled.
He stressed that people in the region “are happy” about the arrest, particularly businessmen. “He is the person who extorted, not only the lemon and avocado trees, but also a large part of the town; (he was also) related to homicides and vehicle theft.”
