On August 20, 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly denied any agreement with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for a new border enforcement initiative dubbed "Project Portero," just a day after the DEA announced it as a “flagship operation” to combat drug, gun, and money smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border. Speaking at her morning press briefing in Mexico City, Sheinbaum expressed frustration, stating, “There is no agreement with the DEA. The DEA puts out this statement, based on what we don’t know. We have not reached any agreement, none of the security institutions have with the DEA.”

The DEA’s Monday statement described Project Portero as a “bold bilateral initiative” involving a multi-week training program at a U.S. intelligence center on the southwest border, bringing together Mexican investigators and U.S. law enforcement, prosecutors, and defense officials to identify joint targets. The agency highlighted the program as a step toward enhanced collaboration, with DEA Administrator Terry Cole, recently appointed to oversee the Trump administration’s takeover of Washington D.C. police, stating, “Project Portero and this new training program show how we will fight—by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners.”

Sheinbaum clarified that the only related activity was a workshop in Texas attended by four Mexican police officers, emphasizing that no broader agreement existed. She criticized the DEA for issuing the statement without coordination, underscoring that Mexico only negotiates agreements with the U.S. government, not individual agencies, and demanded adherence to protocols respecting Mexico’s sovereignty. She noted that her administration has been working for months with the U.S. State Department on a comprehensive security agreement, nearly finalized, based on principles of sovereignty, mutual trust, territorial respect, and coordination without subordination.

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The announcement comes amid strained but improving U.S.-Mexico security relations. Sheinbaum’s administration has taken a tougher stance on drug cartels, extraditing dozens of cartel figures to the U.S., including 26 recently, following positive exchanges to avert U.S. tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump. This contrasts with her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who limited DEA operations in Mexico and accused the agency of fabricating evidence in past cases. Trump’s ongoing pressure, including a 25% “fentanyl tariff” on non-USMCA Mexican goods, has pushed for stronger border measures, which Sheinbaum has resisted, rejecting proposals for U.S. troops or surveillance on Mexican soil.

The DEA later responded without directly addressing Sheinbaum’s remarks, calling the Texas workshop a “significant step forward” in law enforcement coordination. Social media posts on X echoed Sheinbaum’s stance, with users like @Reuters and @BreakingNews4X noting Mexico’s denial of the agreement, highlighting tensions over unilateral announcements. As investigations into the DEA’s claims continue, Mexico remains firm on maintaining control over its security collaborations.

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