Overview

• DEA Administrator Terry Cole told Fox News that Mexico shows an unprecedented willingness to cooperate and said the agency would back any decision by President Trump, including airstrikes on cartels.
• The comments followed the DEA’s Aug. 18 unveiling of Proyecto Portero, which the agency describes as joint work linking Mexican investigators with U.S. law enforcement, prosecutors, defense officials and intelligence personnel.
• President Claudia Sheinbaum said there is no agreement with the DEA, reaffirmed that foreign agencies cannot take part directly in operations, and stated that limits set in the previous administration remain in force.
• Security experts quoted in Mexican media said cooperation is likely to continue through informal or less transparent channels due to sovereignty concerns and prior disputes.
• Coverage cites the U.S. fentanyl crisis and a tougher policy climate, noting a New York Times report of a secret order for Pentagon contingency options, as the DEA highlights higher drug seizures and tens of thousands of overdose deaths in 2024.