Sheinbaum confirms Rubio's arrival for security discussions next week: A recap of Friday's morning news

Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, is set to visit Mexico on September 3, marking his first trip to the country since taking on his current role. The purpose of his visit, as announced by the U.S. Department of State, is to advance key U.S. priorities, including dismantling cartels, halting fentanyl trafficking, ending illegal immigration, reducing the trade deficit, promoting economic prosperity, and countering malign extra continental actors.

During his visit, Rubio will meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace in CDMX. The agenda for their discussion includes the negotiation of a new bilateral security agreement between Mexico and the United States. According to the U.S. Department of State, the new agreement will focus on joint investigations into fentanyl precursors and the establishment of new frameworks for collaboration and coordination, while respecting Mexico's sovereignty.

The exact designation of the newly developed security agreement is not yet clear, and it is not certain that it will be signed during Rubio's visit. However, it is known that the agreement will build upon the Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities, which took effect in late 2021, superseding the Merida Initiative.

Sheinbaum has stated that her government will "never sign anything that, from our perspective, violates our sovereignty or our territory." This stance was also evident in her previous rejection of an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to send the U.S. Army into Mexico to combat drug cartels. The U.S. has proposed greater intervention in Mexico during the negotiations for the new security agreement, but Mexico has rejected this proposal.

The new Mexico-U.S. security agreement also acknowledges the importance of campaigns to prevent drug use and notes that the U.S. government has to work to "avoid the trafficking of weapons" to Mexico. Furthermore, Mexico has allowed the U.S. to fly drones over its territory for spying on drug cartels, including in a mission earlier this month.

Sheinbaum has clarified that there are a variety of "categories" of bilateral pacts, each with a different name. The Mexico-U.S. security agreement, as she has recently been speaking about, is not required to be approved by senates, unlike the USMCA.

Rubio's visit to Mexico comes at a crucial time in the development of the Mexico-U.S. security relationship. The new agreement, if signed, is expected to play a significant role in addressing shared concerns such as drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and economic cooperation.

Sheinbaum confirms Rubio's arrival for security discussions next week: A recap of Friday's morning news