Arturo Sánchez Jiménez
La Jornada newspaper
Sunday, September 28, 2025, p. 5
Mexico and the United States installed Friday in McAllen, Texas, the Mexico -United States Security Implementation Group, bilateral mechanism that will follow up on border security cooperation actions. During the inaugural session, the US government announced new strategies to stop arms traffic towards Mexico, one of the main factors that feed violence in the country.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the US authorities presented the advances of the operation without a trace, which since the beginning of the Donald Trump administration has allowed to open more than 125 investigations for arms trafficking, ensure armament and identify alleged members of criminal networks operating in their territory.
In addition, Washington announced the launch of the Mission Cutpofuegos initiative: United against firearms traffic, whose objective is to interrupt the illicit armament flow at the border. Among its goals are the increase in border operations, the expansion of the use of the Etrace tool to strengthen joint investigations, the implementation of ballistic identification technology in the 32 Mexican entities and a greater exchange of information between security agencies.
Fight in illicit finances
The delegations also agreed to advance in other areas of cooperation. The exchange of customs data on load manifestos, the reinforcement of joint training programs and the creation of a bilateral group to combat cross -border illicit finances were included. The latter will work in civil seizures of assets, detection of financial operations linked to organized crime and coordination to prevent fuel theft, practices that constitute sources of financing of criminal organizations.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that these actions are based on the principles of unrestricted respect for sovereignty, shared responsibility, mutual trust and coordinated collaboration without subordination. According to the statement, this vision reaffirms the commitment of both countries to the construction of a safer and prosperous region.
On behalf of Mexico, Héctor Elizalde, Undersecretary of Intelligence and Research participated; Roberto Velasco Álvarez, Head of the Unit for North America; Marcela Figueroa, Executive Secretary of the National Public Security System; Omar Reyes Colmenares, head of the Financial Intelligence Unit; In addition to commanders of the Ministry of National Defense, of the Navy of Mexico and a representative of the Attorney General’s Office.
Katherine Dueholm, deputy deputy secretary of the Western Hemisphere Affairs Office attended by the United States; Simon Bland, Undersecretary of International Affairs of the Department of Domestic Security; Joseph Humire, Deputy Secretary of Defense; Eric McGuare, of the Domestic Security Council, and Warren Ryan, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, among other officials.
