Press "Enter" to skip to content

President Sheinbaum says Guardia Nacional deployment will not leave country exposed

Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Around 800 Guardia Nacional personnel are being transferred out of the state of Quintana Roo for the northern border. A total of 10,000 from around Mexico are being sent. President Claudia Sheinbaum says their deployment will not leave the country exposed.

On Tuesday, 120 National Guard left Cancun, the first out of around 800 that will be transferred to the border. The transfer is in agreeance between Mexico and the U.S. to do more to prevent migrants and fentanyl crossing into the U.S. and guns crossing into Mexico.

President Sheinbaum said Wednesday during her morning press conference that the transfer of the 10,000 Mexican Armed Forces to the northern border is not a measure that leaves the rest of the country unprotected.

Guardia Nacional patrol streets of Quintana Roo.

Sheinbaum explained that the elements were selected based on the low crime rates in the states in which they operated. She also said some of the military personnel were already stationed in the north, however, others came from states where crime rates have decreased. The plan that was made does not put security in the rest of the country at risk, she said.

National Guard assist other military personnel in patrolling Quintana Roo beaches to deter crime.

The Secretary of Citizen Security for Quintana Roo, Julio César Gómez Torres, says their void will be filled by elements of the State Police. During 2024, Quintana Roo received more than 1,500 National Guard to help step-up state security efforts. Around half of those sent last year are expected to be deployed to the border.

National Guard personnel also serve at the Cancun airport.

On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that although the deployment operation is directly related to Trump’s requests, “Mexicans will also see benefits from the deployment. We are also going to have an advantage with the 10,000 elements on the border,” she said, reiterating that the National Guard will help increase security in border states, not only monitor customs.

She reiterated that an important part of the negotiations will also be focused from the Mexican side on stopping the arrival of illegal weapons from the United States, a mission highlighted by Sheinbaum since her campaign.