Diplomatic tension due to DEA statements
The statements of the director of the DEA, Terry Cole, have caused friction in the bilateral relationship with Mexico. The official recently stated that the Mexican government and the cartels maintain a “deadly connection.” He said that combating this alleged alliance is a priority for his agency.
President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the accusations. He described them as “unfortunate, unsupported and baseless.”
It is not Cole’s first controversy towards Mexico. Since taking office in 2025, his appointment has been questioned. Newspaper reports link him to the leak of sensitive information in 2011 that led to the civilian tragedy in Allende, Coahuila, attributed to the criminal group Los Zetas.
Cole has also supported measures by the Trump administration. Supports classifying Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. In addition, he has defended the possibility of covert operations by US agencies inside Mexico.
In his most recent statements, Cole pointed to the case of Sinaloa. He suggested that Mexican officials may have collaborated with criminal groups. Sheinbaum insisted that there is no evidence and that his statements damage bilateral cooperation.
