The Mexican Senate approved on Tuesday the entry of 11 United States Army personnel into the national territory, carrying weapons and ammunition to train the Mexican armed forces. With 79 votes in favor, 10 against, and one abstention, lawmakers endorsed the measure allowing the group to enter at the request of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
According to the permit, the soldiers will remain in Mexico for about two months, from April 8 to May 27, to train Mexican troops at the Santa Gertrudis National Training Center in the northern state of Chihuahua.
The upper chamber noted in a press release that the training activity, titled Combined Joint Exercises Training, aims to improve planning and execution capabilities for special operations, skills deemed essential for the proper functioning of the Mexican Army. It also stated that the delegation from the U.S. Army will enter with its own weapons, ammunition, equipment, and specialized gear required for the activity.
Senator Emilio Álvarez Icaza Longoria, who voted against the measure, criticized the entry of armed personnel, noting that it contravenes the Constitution. He questioned whether this represents a concession of sovereignty.
Senator Damián Zepeda of the National Action Party (PAN), who supported the bill, called the restriction on international cooperation an overreach, arguing that it would allow military personnel from a foreign army to share best practices without endangering national sovereignty. He commented that eleven foreign specialists would be teaching at the Mexican Army without compromising the state’s control.
Senator Laura Iraís Ballesteros Mancilla of Movimiento Ciudadano opposed the authorization, pointing out a growing trend of military involvement in public administration since 2007 and suggesting that the training should instead focus on strengthening public security training for police forces.
The bill was approved a day earlier by the Senate’s National Defense Committee, chaired by Senator Félix Salgado Macedonio. The committee stressed that, in addition to training and equipping Mexican forces, the exercise would strengthen bilateral ties with the United States. In December, the upper chamber also authorized the arrival of a similar number of U.S. personnel who stayed in the country for two months, from January to March, to conduct similar training activities in central Mexico.