New Sonora ‘border unit’ to focus on arms, drug trafficking: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

Issues pertinent to the narration betwixt Mexico and the United States were a cardinal absorption of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday greeting property conference.

Here is simply a recap of the president’s Aug. 6 mañanera.

‘We’re against the decease penalty’ 

A newsman noted that prosecutors successful the United States won’t question the decease punishment successful their cases against the “Mexican capos” Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Rafael Caro Quintero.

Zambada was arrested successful the United States successful July 2024 aft helium was allegedly kidnapped successful Sinaloa and forced onto a U.S.-bound backstage plane, portion Caro Quintero is 1 of 29 cartel figures who were extradited to the U.S. successful February.

Both men person pleaded not blameworthy to accusations they look successful the United States. The Associated Press reported connected Tuesday that it was “unclear whether taking the decease punishment disconnected the array signals immoderate anticipation of a plea woody with either oregon some men.”

The aforesaid newsman asked Sheinbaum her sentiment connected the matter, saying that the determination not to question the decease punishment successful cases against Zambada and Caro Quintero could mean that the 2 men are coming to immoderate benignant of statement with authorities successful the United States.

“We’re against the decease penalty, nary substance the crime,” the president responded. “It’s not thing we hold with.”

Sheinbaum stressed that absorption to the decease punishment is “part of Mexican policy” and not a “personal issue.”

“It has thing to bash with the idiosyncratic oregon the criminal, but alternatively with the information that we don’t hold with the decease penalty,” Sheinbaum said. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

She said that successful “all” of Mexico’s extradition treaties, “reciprocity” with Mexican laws is established, meaning that Mexicans sent overseas can’t beryllium taxable to the decease punishment adjacent if the state they are extradited to allows superior punishment.

“So erstwhile … [Mexicans] are extradited, determination is nary decease penalty,” Sheinbaum said.

In each cases erstwhile Mexicans look transgression charges abroad, “what Mexico seeks is reciprocity with our laws,” she said.

“It has thing to bash with the idiosyncratic oregon the criminal, but alternatively with the information that we don’t hold with the decease penalty,” Sheinbaum said.

Sentences successful US against men convicted of trafficking weapons to Mexico a ‘good sign,’ says Sheinbaum 

A newsman noted that six radical were precocious sentenced successful the United States for trafficking weapons to Mexico, and highlighted that U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson commented connected the case.

The United States Attorney’s Office successful the Middle District of Florida announced connected Friday that six men had been sentenced for trafficking military-grade firearms to Mexican cause cartels. The sentences scope from 1.5 to 9 years successful national prison.

In a station to societal media connected Monday, Johnson said that “the lawsuit of six Florida men sentenced for trafficking military-grade firearms to Mexican cartels reaffirms [the United States’] commitment to stopping the travel of amerciable weapons into [Mexico].”

El caso de los seis hombres en Florida que fueron sentenciados por traficar armas de grado militar a cárteles mexicanos reafirma el compromiso de 🇺🇸 para frenar el flujo de armas ilegales hacia 🇲🇽. Seguiremos colaborando, bajo el liderazgo de @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, con la…

— Embajador Ronald Johnson (@USAmbMex) August 4, 2025

“Under the enactment of @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, we volition proceed moving with President @ClaudiaShein and her squad to dismantle these networks,” the ambassador wrote.

Sheinbaum was asked whether the sentences indicated that the United States authorities is “paying attraction to the demands” of the Mexican government, which has agelong called connected the U.S. to bash much to halt the southward travel of firearms.

“Yes,” she responded.

“Of course, we’re going to proceed insisting that … [they do] adjacent more, but it’s a bully motion that radical person been arrested [in the U.S.] for arms trafficking,” Sheinbaum said.

She said that successful conversations with U.S. officials, including Ambassador Johnson, Mexican officials person “always” advocated successful favour of the U.S. taking enactment to forestall the trafficking of weapons to Mexico.

Many of the firearms that are smuggled into the state extremity up successful the hands of members of organized transgression groups. Those weapons are commonly utilized to perpetrate superior crimes successful Mexico, including murder.

New ‘border unit’ established successful Sonora 

In different societal media station connected Monday, Ambassador Johnson said that “the caller Border Unit successful Sonora is simply a factual measurement to halt the travel of illicit drugs, weapons, and people, portion boosting commercialized and assemblage ties.”

“A unafraid borderline benefits some countries — creating an situation wherever citizens tin prosper. Border information is simply a shared precedence — driven by the enactment of @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and President @ClaudiaShein,” helium wrote.

Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo said connected Friday that 18 authorities constabulary officers who are portion of the caller portion had completed “specialized training” with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Como parte de la nueva División de Operaciones Fronterizas, hoy 18 elementos de la Policía Estatal concluyeron su capacitación especializada con la CBP de Estados Unidos.

Un esfuerzo binacional que refuerza nuestra presencia institucional en la frontera, con profesionalismo y… pic.twitter.com/VPxiCD2fsR

— Alfonso Durazo (@AlfonsoDurazo) August 1, 2025

Sheinbaum said that the constitution of the caller borderline portion is “part of the agreements” betwixt Mexican and U.S. authorities. The neighboring countries are expected to motion a caller information pact soon.

Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexican states person their ain agreements with U.S. authorities. She told reporters that Baja California has an statement with the CBP and that Sonora “also has agreements” that impact the sharing of accusation with U.S. authorities.

“If determination is simply a transgression who crosses the borderline from the different side, you evidently person to person information,” Sheinbaum said.

“…. Now that determination is the beingness of the United States service connected the border, determination has to beryllium communication,” she said.

“There is connection betwixt the National Immigration Institute and CBP, and determination is connection betwixt [Mexican] Customs and CBP arsenic well. There is connection betwixt the governors of [border states] and their counterparts,” said Sheinbaum, who noted that Mexico besides collaborates with Guatemala connected information issues astatine their shared border.

“Due to the introduction of constabulary from Chiapas to Guatemala, a gathering was held, agreements were formalized and present determination is much collaboration,” she said.

By Mexico News Daily main unit writer Peter Davies ([email protected])