Mexico president denies US-announced joint anti-cartel effort

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday shot down a statement by the US Drug Enforcement Agency that announced a joint initiative targeting drug cartel "gatekeepers" along the US-Mexico border.

"The DEA issued a statement, we don't know the basis for it. We haven't reached any agreement, nor have our security agencies, with the DEA," Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference.

A statement from the DEA on Monday described a "bold bilateral initiative" with Mexico targeting "operatives who control the smuggling corridors along the Southwest Border."

The program "brings together Mexican investigators with US law enforcement, prosecutors, defense officials, and members of the intelligence community," the DEA statement said.

Sheinbaum said that a group of Mexican police are participating in a training in Texas and a bilateral agreement "in the works for several months" is about to be signed, but "there is nothing more."

"Any joint statement must be done jointly. We won't confirm any statement issued by the United States when the Mexican government has not been consulted," she said.

In its statement Monday, DEA administrator Terrance Cole said the new initiative and training program "show how we will fight -- by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners."

US President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to hike trade tariffs if Mexico does not do more to stem smuggling of drugs and migrants along the shared border.

Sheinbaum has pledged to collaborate with Washington on tackling drug trafficking, while rejecting any "invasion" of her country's sovereignty.

Mexico has sent wanted fugitives to the United States, including 26 last week, as part of efforts to crack down on cross-border fentanyl smuggling.