In TLAXCALA, Mexico, on February 4th, hundreds of Mexican soldiers were deployed to the border with the United States as part of an agreement that prevented U.S. tariffs on Mexican imports, conditional on Mexico's crackdown on fentanyl trafficking.
The Mexican troops will be stationed in areas with high rates of illegal migration, drug trafficking, and weapons smuggling along the border states of Baja California, Sonora, and Tamaulipas, according to three military and government sources familiar with the plan.
This deployment of 10,000 Mexican soldiers is part of the agreement announced on Monday, ending U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of imposing 25% tariffs on Mexican imports, with Mexico having pledged to retaliate.
As part of the deal, the United States has committed to helping curb the flow of high-powered weapons from the U.S. into Mexico, as stated by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
However, some analysts expressed concern that the significant concentration of troops on the border could leave other vulnerable areas in Mexico lacking proper security.
Andres Sumano, a researcher at Mexico's Northern Border College (Colef), remarked, "The president had a gun to her head to make such a decision."
A trade conflict between Mexico and the U.S. would likely have pushed Mexico into a recession, with U.S. consumers facing higher prices on Mexican imports.