Donald Trump threatens land strikes in Mexico to target cartel action
US President Donald Trump has announced that the government will launch ground strikes in Mexico to “target the cartels” in the administration’s latest controversial military operation.
“We’re going to start getting to the bottom of the cartels now,” Mr. Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News.
“The cartels run Mexico, and it’s very sad to watch what’s happening in this country. But the cartels run the country. They kill 250,000 to 300,000 people in our country every year,” Mr. Trump said.
The actual number of drug deaths linked to Mexican cartels in the United States is less than unconfirmed figures but still significant.
Although deaths caused by synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) have been decreasing since 2023, the figure still stands at around 50,000 per year, according to the latest figures provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fentanyl is trafficked primarily across the Mexico-US border by vehicles or by pedestrians carrying small amounts.
Most of the fentanyl brought to the United States from Mexico is produced from chemicals from China.
Mexico is currently led by Claudia Sheinbaum, the first female president who has said she rejects foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs.
This came after Mr Trump launched a military operation and captured Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, President Nicolas Maduro.
Mr. Maduro pleaded not guilty to U.S. narco-terrorism charges after appearing before a federal court in New York on Monday.
“I’m innocent. I’m not guilty. I’m a decent man. I’m still the president of my country,” Mr. Maduro said through an interpreter at the hearing before being interrupted by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.
He will be replaced by Delcy Rodriguez, who has served as vice president since 2018.
Ms. Rodriguez initially took a hard line against Mr. Maduro’s capture, but suggested that Venezuela obey the U.S. government after Mr. Trump threatened a worse fate than his former counterpart.
“We invite the US government to collaborate with us on a cooperation agenda for common development within the framework of international law to strengthen the lasting coexistence of communities,” he wrote on Instagram on Sunday.
“President Donald Trump, our people and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been the message of President Nicolás Maduro and is now the message of all of Venezuela.”
