MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) (In progress) and welcome to our guests for the press and those following the press conference through social media. To begin, Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente will be provide us with the joint statement, then both secretaries will give their remarks, and then we'll open up a Q&A session.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: (Via interpreter) Good morning to you all. Allow me to begin, Mr. Secretary from the State - Mr. Marco Rubio - from the State Department. Welcome to the Department of Foreign Affairs of Mexico. You and Mr. Ambassador and the distinguished delegation that is here with you today are most welcome. I would also like, Mr. Secretary, to thank you. Thank you and your team for the great work that we have been able to undertake in the last few months, and that has led us to this morning having a meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum - a constructive, productive, cordial meeting with a well-defined route for the future.
For this, I would like to now share with you the joint statement that we have agreed on with the State Department of the United States:
The Governments of Mexico and the United States reaffirm our cooperation in matters of security, which is based on the principles of reciprocity, respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, shared responsibility and differentiated responsibility, as well as on mutual trust. The goal is to work together to dismantle transnational organized crime through reinforced and strengthened cooperation amongst our respective national security institutions, law enforcement and judicial authorities. Furthermore, we will collaborate to address the illegal movement of people across borders. This cooperation through specific and immediate actions will strengthen security throughout our shared border, will stop the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and will put an end to arms trafficking.
Both governments have created a high-level implementation group that will meet regularly to follow up on joint commitments and actions undertaken within our own countries, including measures to combat cartels; strengthen security at the border; eliminate clandestine trans-border tunnels; address the issue of illicit financial flows; improve collaboration to prevent fuel theft; increasing inspections, investigations, and legal processes to stop the flow of arms and drugs trafficking.
Our joint coordination and collaboration will allow us strengthen the border, reduce fentanyl trafficking, and move forward in terms of intelligence exchanges all through and within our respective legal frameworks. Both governments have the intention of further strengthening collaboration in terms of public health and coordinating campaigns to prevent the use and abuse of opioids and other substances. Both governments reaffirm our determination to cooperate, protect our citizens, and make our communities safer.
This is the joint statement that we would like to share on this occasion.
Mr. Secretary, you have the floor.
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much for the warm welcome we've had today. We were welcomed by the President and were able to speak to her for quite a long time. It was very productive. Mr. Foreign Minister, thank you as well. Ambassador Johnson, who has done great work and is doing great work when it comes to this relationship that is so important. As I have always said, the history of our countries will always be joined, because geography is reality, and we'll always be neighbors.
But because we are neighbors, we face common issues, threats, danger, and problems that we must confront. And I'm very happy that we've reached a level of historic cooperation, really over the last eight months. Never in the history of both countries have we seen the level of cooperation that we have right now - cooperation at a level that respects integrity and the sovereignty of both countries, but at the same time, this cooperation has led to concrete outcomes - results that we've seen, for example, in the numbers. The numbers we've seen - we've seen 55 individuals who were requested of the Government of Mexico who are now facing criminal charges in the U.S. This was an extremely difficult operation, it was not easy, and they were able to do it via the Mexican authorities and Mexican planes that took these individuals to U.S. prisons, the exchange of information and intelligence, providing training for both sides.
This has been key, but there's a lot still to do, and we both understand that cartels are a threat to the national security of Mexico and the U.S. And that is why it is completely logical for us to work together and cooperate together. This implementation group - I know that on many occasions we talk about groups, we've created a group, but this is a high-level group. This is a group that will implement what we agreed upon jointly.
When it comes to our cooperation, there's no other government that's cooperating as much with us in the fight against crime as the Government of Mexico and President Sheinbaum's administration. We are very appreciative, and we have a lot to do together still when it comes to making progress towards this common goal. So I would like to thank you for that.
We have spoken many times, as we spoke today. President Sheinbaum has spoken to President Trump 14 times. Much has been achieved, and we will continue to exchange ideas and cooperating in our work among our different agencies with much respect and admiration for the work that you have already done here in Mexico to confront these narcoterrorist groups that are a threat not only to Mexico and the United States - they are a threat to the peace and stability of the world.
We have seen, for example, also that we have a lot to do still. We are very focused. As you've seen, the President is focused on crime in our own country. There are cities in the U.S. that are extremely dangerous. I believe in Washington, obviously - a city that has seen a massive increase in crime and crime committed by minors - the President has deployed federal agencies and the National Guard to the city, to the streets, to ensure that this does not happen. And he is willing to do it in other cities if necessary as well, because we all have problems and we need to confront them.
We also know that many of the weapons that are in the hands of these cartels are weapons that have been purchased from a source in the United States, and these weapons have been trafficked, and this is a problem in Mexico and the Caribbean. We're also focusing on that as a part of the work of this implementation group.
So there are many things that we still have to do, but we have achieved many things over the last eight months. I'm going to say this in English now. I said that in Cuban; now I'm going to switch to Spanish and —
(In English) Just briefly, we had an excellent meeting with President Sheinbaum and Foreign Minister De La Fuente. In fact, we've had a great relationship with the Government of Mexico during the eight months of the Trump presidency. It is the closest security cooperation we have ever had, maybe with any country but certainly in the history of U.S.-Mexico relations. I think that much credit is deserved to President Sheinbaum and her administration in really taking on things that had not been taken on for a very long time.
As one example, 59 high-value targets, people we wanted into the United States to face charges for narcotrafficking, it was Mexican authorities who moved them out of jails and transported them themselves into American facilities, where they will stand trial - and, we believe, not just serve the rest of their lives in jail once a jury hears their case, but perhaps will share valuable information that will allow us to identify even more dangers that confront our countries.
Because of our geography, we will always be neighbors, and that means we will always share common problems whether they be migration - the migration numbers today at the U.S. southern border are the lowest they have ever been - they have ever been - and that is due and thanks and great credit to President Trump for the efforts he's undertaken, but I think also to the efforts of the authorities here in Mexico, who have viewed irregular migration as a threat to their own security.
Just remember - just remember - that a significant percentage of the people that were crossing the U.S. southern border illegally into the United States were not from Mexico. They were coming from all over the world, from multiple continents, from halfway around the world. They were coming from Somalia, they were coming from everywhere and crossing through Mexico into the United States. And that was not good for Mexico and that certainly was not good for the United States. And we have seen those numbers drop historically, and that would not have been possible without the close cooperation between our two governments.
But there's more to do, which is why today we are formalizing an implementation group. So that sounds like a fancy term that means nothing, but it means a lot. This is a high-level group that will meet and coordinate on a regular basis to make sure that all the things we are working on, all the things we have agreed to work on are happening, are being implemented.
So this has been a very productive visit, and we will have many more. We've talked many times, we'll be in touch many more times, because there's still a lot of work to do together. But this is a -this is an important and, I believe, a significant day in the relations of our two countries as we are able to continue to formalize this unprecedented, historic, and so far highly successful security cooperation between the Government of Mexico and the Government of the United States.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: (Via interpreter) Without a doubt, Mr. Secretary, your presence today in Mexico ratifies the good relationship and great cooperation that exists between our nations, and that will continue in the next few months and in the following years. I must say that this morning's meeting with President Sheinbaum was conducted to have a dialogue on diverse topics regarding our bilateral relations - especially security, an area within which we have been working hand-in-hand with the State Department for some time now.
Today we have come to a very good agreement to give form and give move forward with a cooperation program based on four basic principles: strict respect to sovereignty and territorial integrity; shared responsibility; mutual trust; and coordinated collaboration without subordination. As it has been pointed out by Secretary Rubio, in order to follow up on the elements agreed upon, we defined the creation of a high-level coordination mechanism that will meet periodically to assess progress and ensure the achievement of the goals that we have set forward. This understanding, this agreement we have come to, includes measures to combat illicit financial flows, the flow of illicit fuels, stopping generational violence, drug trafficking and illicit weapons each in our own territory.
We have also addressed the - started to address the elimination of illicit tunnels that go from one side to the other of the border with training and border security. I would like to highlight that coordinated work is conducted under the principles of reciprocity and respect of our sovereignties. And this has allowed us to have a safer border, to reduce fentanyl trafficking, and move forward in greater collaboration schemes when it comes to exchange of information within our legal frameworks. And also, when it comes to prevention, with information campaigns regarding the damage and the harm caused by fentanyl and other illicit drugs. As you know, addressing the causes is a crucial component of our security strategy that was sustained today, this morning, by President Sheinbaum. I am pleased to inform that this dimension of our joint work is considered within the mechanisms that we have created to work together.
Finally, I would like to say that the sustained dialogue that we have held throughout the last few months and today falls well within the conversation sustained between President Sheinbaum and President Donald Trump, and provides continuity to the first meeting, the first encounter that we had with you, Secretary Rubio, at the State Department at the end of February earlier this year in Washington, D.C. It reaffirms both countries determination to cooperate, protect our citizens, and make our communities safer.
MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary. We have space for four questions. Matt Lee from AP.
QUESTION: Hello. Good afternoon. Mr. Secretary and Mr. Secretary, I want to start for you, Secretary Rubio, with a question about the incident that happened yesterday with the Tren de Aragua vessel that was destroyed by U.S. military. There seemed - there still seemed to be a bunch of lingering questions about how this all came about; for example, how were you so convinced or so sure that they were Tren de Aragua members on board, and what kind of drugs were they transporting and where they were going to. And I'm wondering if you could address any of those specifics, as well as who was - which unit of the military actually carried this out and how. But more broadly and for both of you, there seem to be concerns around the region now that this might signal a return to kind of gunboat diplomacy that the U.S. was known for decades and decades and decades ago in this region. And I'm wondering, one, Secretary Rubio, if this is the impression that you want to leave; and secondly, Mr. Secretary, whether Mexico shares the concerns that some other leaders in this hemisphere quite apart from President - Mr. Maduro share. Thank you.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, first of all, let me say that from an operational standpoint, I'll leave it to the Pentagon to identify munitions, units, and things of that nature. Let me say this. The United States has long - for many, many years - established intelligence that allow us to interdict and stop drug boats, and we did that. And it doesn't work. Interdiction doesn't work because these drug cartels - what they do is they know they're going to lose two percent of their cargo. They bake it into their economics. What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them. So they were designated as what they are - they are narcoterrorist organizations. So the same information and the same intelligence mechanisms with maybe a higher focus was used to determine that a drug boat was headed towards, eventually, the United States, and instead of interdicting it, on the President's orders, he blew it up. And it'll happen again. Maybe it's happening right now, I don't know, but the point is the President United States is going to wage war on narcoterrorist organizations. This one was operating in international waters, headed towards the United States to flood our country with poison, and under President Trump, those days are over.
(Via interpreter) The question was about a incident yesterday on international waters, and I'm not going to comment about what agency of the Department of Defense was used. The Pentagon can speak to that, but I will say the following: These cartels have used maritime routes over many years, and we have intelligence; we know they're coming and we intercept them, but that does not work because these cartels know. They say, well, we're going to lose 2 percent; we're going to lose a certain percentage of what - of the drugs we're selling. That's part of the loss that they've included as a part of doing business. These are cartels that are earning billions of dollars, so they don't mind losing one or two shipments. That doesn't work. The President has declared that these organizations - Tren de Aragua, Cártel de los Soles, and others - these groups are narcoterrorists. These are narcoterrorist groups, designated so by the U.S., operating in international waters, and their destination is taking drugs to the U.S. streets.
And the President used the force and the power of the United States to protect the United States, and they blew up a boat. And that could happen again; it might be happening right now. It could happen tomorrow. It could happen next week. But let there be no doubt that these groups that are using these maritime routes through the Caribbean are not going to be able to continue to act with impunity. They will not simply lose a shipment and be set free; that's not going to happen. This President isn't going to allow that and he's been clear. That's the promise he made to the American people. He (inaudible) because of that promise, and he's going to make good on that promise.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: (Via interpreter) Mexico's position regarding this matter is quite clear, based on our constitutional principles of foreign policy defined in Article 89 of our constitution: respect to international law and conventions and treaties on these matters that Mexico has subscribed to.
MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you. Now Enrique Acevedo from N Más.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Good afternoon, Dr. de la Fuente. (In English) You mentioned this briefly in your statement, but why is the U.S. allowing military-grade American-made weapons to reach narcoterrorist organizations in Mexico and across Latin America? And what specific steps will the Trump Administration take to prevent these weapons from further threatening democracy and the rule of law in the region?
(Via interpreter) Also, Mr. Secretary, what is the position of Mexico regarding the accusations against President Maduro being a part of an international criminal organization regarding Mexico?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Let me answer in English and then in Spanish. Part of this working group, part of our security plan, part of our implementation, is to stop the flow of armaments. We have the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms involved. We've got the FBI involved. And it's not just Mexico, by the way. Those arms are flowing to Haiti, they're flowing to Jamaica, they're flowing to Trinidad, they're flowing into the Caribbean. And we're going to put a stop to it. So that is part of our implementation plan. And it's going to require cooperation because they're going to seize armaments, and they're going to tell us these are the armaments we seized and we think it came from here, and we'll be able to trace back the networks. It's going to take some investigative work. Or we're going to be able to seize armaments and prevent them from coming because we know these networks and we're going to disrupt them. So that is part of our agreement and part of what we're working on. And by the way, we think it adds to our own security.
I would make one more point, and that is the unconventional weapons that some of these cartels are now coming into possession of. We are increasingly concerned that these cartels are now in possession not just of land mines and grenades; we're now seeing the deployment of drone technology by narcoterrorist groups operating out of Venezuelan territory, in many cases into Colombia. Imagine drones in the hands of these narco cartels threatening nation states, threatening security forces. So that's something else we're going to have to focus on.
(Via interpreter) (In progress) is to identify these sources of weapons that are coming into - from different places in the United States. That's not only a threat to Mexico. It threatens Trinidad, Jamaica, Haiti, and other - Dominican Republic, different countries in the Caribbean. And part of the implementation work is that we're going to use resources from the FBI, the ATF, to identify these trafficking networks and disrupting them. And there will have to be a lot of cooperation there. For example, Mexican authorities can seize a certain number of weapons. They can send us that information, say, these are the weapons, and then through our systems we can identify where those weapons came from, identify what is the smuggling group that is bringing them here, and then not allowing for that to continue happening.
And finally, I know this wasn't the exact question - the Cártel de los Soles - I'm not the one saying so. It's not the U.S. Government. That was a grand jury, a grand jury in New York, which is a quite liberal state when it comes to U.S. politics. It was a grand jury from New York that talked about Nicolás Maduro, Diosdado Cabello, and others. So we are simply acting. We are only acting on something that a grand jury in 2020 handed down handed down. We didn't make this up. It's something that was said by a grand jury through our legal system.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: (Via interpreter) We have our constitutional principles which are the compass of our foreign policy. They are very clear and these are planned clearly under these and other conditions situations that we are facing: self-determination, nonintervention, peaceful solution of problems, cooperation for development, et cetera. And that's why, based on these same principles, we face that we have built our cooperation program with the State Department of the United States. This clearly and unequivocally sets the route for Mexican foreign policy. So we will keep following these principles, and based on them we will keep trying to create and establish the mechanisms that will allow us to cooperate and work coordinatedly and respectfully with all those who wish to work with Mexico.
MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you. We now give the floor to Eric Martin from Bloomberg.
QUESTION: Yes, thank you. Thank you, Secretary. Gracias, Secretario.
Secretary Rubio, I wanted to ask you following on Matt's question about the operation yesterday in the Caribbean. Eleven people who were carrying drugs were killed, President Trump has mentioned. Did the U.S. warn the people in the boat to stop their activity before firing the missile that killed them, or how does this fit with the authorization for use of military force authorized by the U.S. Congress? Does the U.S. have evidence that the people who were in the boat were armed or posed an immediate danger to U.S. security personnel? And can you rule out - you mentioned the operations that operate from the Venezuelan shore. Can you categorically rule out attacks on Venezuelan soil or an attempt by the U.S. to oust Nicolás Maduro?
Also, from the U.S. perspective —
SECRETARY RUBIO: That's like nine questions. I can't remember all of them. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Sorry. From the U.S. perspective of who's —
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via interpreter) That's a U.S. journalist.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) It's something we do in Mexico too. Let me ask via separate questions.
(In English) The announcement today of a cooperation agreement - is the U.S. removing the 25 percent fentanyl tariff in place on Mexico that had been in place on the basis of fentanyl trafficking, or is that a recommendation that you will take back to President Trump and the trade team?
(Via interpreter) Finally, Secretary, I'd like to ask you a question. Secretary de la Fuente, given the long history of invasions coming from the United States, how does Mexico see yesterday's attack in the Caribbean? Because in the past, during past administrations even of this same party, there has been a friendly relationship with the Maduro government. He's been - he's been invited by the Mexican Government to the independence day grito and other ceremonies, including the swearing-in ceremony of the previous president. So how does Mexico look upon these operations vis-à-vis cartels in the Caribbean with links to Venezuela?
SECRETARY RUBIO: The President of the United States has determined that narcoterrorist organizations pose a threat to the national security of the United States. I don't need to explain to you why. They are traffickers of people, they are traffickers of deadly drugs, and they are traffickers of all kinds of (inaudible), and they use the money that they generate to destabilize governments in the region, which in and of itself then poses a threat to the United States.
So he has designated for what they are: They are narcoterrorist organizations. These are not stockbrokers. These are not real estate agents who on the side deal a few drugs. These are organized, corporate-structured organizations who specialize in the trafficking of deadly drugs into the United States of America. They pose an immediate threat to the United States, period. If you're on a boat full of cocaine or fentanyl or whatever headed to the United States, you're an immediate threat to the United States.
And the President, under his authority as Commander-in-Chief, has a right under exigent circumstances to eliminate imminent threats to the United States, and that's what he did yesterday in international waters, and that's what he intends to do. We're not going to sit back anymore and watch these people sail up and down the Caribbean like a cruise ship. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen anymore. They're not going to bring drugs into the United States. We're going to stop them. I know a lot of presidents have talked about doing it; this President is not a talker, he's a doer. He's going to do it.
As far as your question about terrorists, that's not - I don't negotiate those agreements. I will certainly go back and report make them aware of the level of cooperation that exists. With regards to security, we've made tremendous progress.
And obviously, I know that even as I speak to you today, the economic team from Mexico is in Washington meeting with Ambassador Greer and also meeting with Commerce Secretary Lutnick. And obviously, that - we hope that will come to some positive result at some point here soon because our economic relations are very important. We have a lot to build on with the successes of USMCA.
(Via interpreter) (Inaudible.) It's been a - really, it's a matter of the following. These cartels have been designated narcoterrorist groups for the following reason. They bring dangerous drugs, illegal drugs, to the streets of the United States. The President has said that will not continue. They've had a route throughout the Caribbean with no impediments for a long time. He's not going to allow that. He designated these groups as terrorist groups, which is what they are, and yesterday he had an opportunity in international waters to eliminate a direct threat to the safety of the American people. And that's what he did, and he's willing to do it again, because this is a President who's been very clear. He was elected based on that promise, and he was going to make good on it.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: I will answer you in English, Eric, because it will be very similar, my answer to the previous one. We have, as many of you may know, some basic principles in our constitution that rule our foreign policy. These principles are clearly stated in article 89 of our constitution, and some of them are very clear: self-determination. We believe in self-determination. Nonintervention. Peaceful solution of controversies. All countries are legally equal. We believe in cooperation for development, and so on. So these principles are the ones that really rule our foreign policy, and we are going to stick to them because that's our mandate, and of course those have been also the instructions I have received from President Sheinbaum.
(Via interpreter) Now, Mexico is a country of peace and a country that establishes relations with all countries around the world who wish to do the same with Mexico and that follow the same principles that are ingrained in our constitution and that, in good part, are at the core of international law and that we share with other instruments such as the UN Charter.
That is why it seems very timely for me to highlight the comment made by Secretary Rubio pertaining to the way in which we have been able to create this cooperation program stemming from a great negotiation and multiple conversations. What's most important from this understanding that we have come to is that it is based on these same principles; it recognizes these same principles. And these are the principles that will allow for us to keep moving forward, addressing a range of topics that are mentioned in this cooperation program, all of which can be particularly sensitive and complex. But if we have that frame of reference in terms of working for cooperation and coordination without subordination; based on our keeping up our efforts, respecting each country's sovereignty, each country's territorial integrity, that is what allows for good understandings, and that will allow us to keep moving forward following a program that is structured, defined, it has goals, it has objectives, and that will be periodically assessed.
Furthermore, we do this based on also the fact that in these first eight months there have been tangible results - tangible results in a relatively short period of time. Secretary Rubio was saying - and with good reason - this morning some of the changes that we are committing to would take longer than what we all wish they would take. However, in just eight months we have seen concrete results. Encounters at the border have been reduced by 93 percent - actually a little more, according to the latest figures. Seizures of fentanyl since the beginning of President Sheinbaum's administration have been reduced by 50 percent. The last information coming from the security strategy implemented by Mexico shows us that there has been a reduction in crime in Mexico of 32 percent. In the presidential report just a couple of days ago, it was mentioned - another figure was mentioned because we hadn't taken August into account. But it has dropped further. So we have strategies that work and that are based on these principles.
I think that that is what I would like to highlight and rescue from all of this, because it is important to show the U.S. and Mexico communities that we can build cooperation and collaboration models that work, that provide results, that can have a mutually convened reference framework and that are based on the commitment of maintaining those principles that are those that our constitution has given. Thank you.
MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Thank you. Last question, Enrique Sánchez from Excélsior.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Mr. Secretary, good morning. Mr. Secretary Rubio, good morning and welcome to Mexico. One question for both of you.
Secretary Rubio, you were - you were saying in - the series of - of items and progress made in terms of security, in terms of containing illegal migration and other commercial aspects, et cetera. I would like to ask you, this understanding was a security - a specific security agreement, or - and what will we see in the field in terms of operations, joint operations or each security forces in their own territory, respecting sovereignty? What would be the ideal scenario under which Mexico and the United States would be working in terms of this - these circumstances and these communities that you have highlighted so that there can be greater cooperation?
And I would also like to take this opportunity to ask, based on the conversation this morning in Palacio Nacional, have you considered a future meeting between President Sheinbaum and President Trump in the next few months?
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via interpreter) I'll start. I won't speak directly about the different issues when it comes - because cartels read the press too. So I'm going to say the following: They've always existed, but we've broadened them because there are more resources. For example, if there's a group that crosses the border with drugs, Mexican authorities know. They let us know where they are, who they are, and we can act then against them. Same thing with us; if we know that there's a group working in Mexico or that's coming into Mexico with weapons or whatever the case may be, we will send that intel to Mexican authorities and then they can act.
Obviously both countries have their own collection of intelligence, different sources - informants, for example. Many people who are locked up in the U.S. are providing testimony. They provide many details and we can share those things with each other. Also joint training - there are things that we can learn from your experience and things that you can learn from our team, specifically, for example, certain technologies that the U.S. might have been able to develop in other places, and this is something that the Mexican authorities may have identified as something that would help them out in their actions. We could provide those kinds of things as well.
So cooperation has always existed between law enforcement agencies, but we're talking about expanding that to a broader, more structured type of cooperation and dependent on the situation. But we both have intelligence we can share, information we can share, and all of that helps, and capacities also that could be provided through equipment if it is requested. They might already have it and not need it.
(In English) But the question was about what does cooperation look like. Look, we've always cooperated. There's always been law enforcement cooperation. We're talking about amplifying that. We already have started to do - just as a great example, let's say there's a drug - a gun-running group that's coming out of the United States, headed into Mexico. We identify it, we don't get there in time to stop it. We pass that on to the Mexican authorities who can act on it. Likewise, they can identify a drug shipment or - that's headed our way. Maybe it got past their systems but now is in the United States and we can act on it. Any time you take people into jail, they become informants. They give you information about the operations of cartels and drug organizations. Sharing that information is also valuable.
There's opportunities to cooperate on equipment. Maybe there's equipment we have in the United States; maybe it's equipment that we have used in the past in other areas of the world and they have an interest in purchasing it or have an interest in acquiring it, and we can provide that to them, or vice versa. Maybe they have something that we would want. It also has to do with joint training. Maybe there's things they do operationally that they have learned from their time taking on the cartels that would serve us on our side of the border, or vice versa, things that we have learned from a training standpoint that they would benefit from.
That's the kind of cooperation we're going to amplify on and operate together on, and I think it's very valuable. That's always existed at a certain level. What we're talking about now is formalizing it, systemizing it, making it a regular, ongoing feature of a broader cooperation on an issue of mutual concern.
FOREIGN SECRETARY DE LA FUENTE: (Via interpreter) What you were saying in terms of the legal frameworks of each country is so important because, indeed, part of what was agreed on within this cooperation program is that those are going to be respected. And as Secretary Rubio has just pointed out, the legislative framework for each country and based on which changes are made - for example, in Mexico, President Sheinbaum has already made - presented some bills for constitutional reforms. We've just elevated constitutionally the crime of fentanyl trafficking.
These are changes that each country is making at their own pace but at the same time are adding to the conversation in terms of the possibility of improving cooperation. We now have a national security law that we have talked about on different occasions with the State Department team. When touching on topics referring to that, this way there is clarity in terms of the legislative and legal frameworks that reign in either country, and the respect of each is what allows for progress to take place in terms of operations conducted by each country in their own territory, and that the information exchange flows, that the intel exchange flows better, that the exchange in terms of technology flows as well.
I believe that with this new cooperation (inaudible) for border security and application of the law. That is why it's so relevant. We will be seeing in the upcoming months and years more and better results in this field, this arena, that is in the best interest for the people and Government of Mexico and the people and the Government of the United States. So I believe it has been, Secretary Rubio, a productive day that sets a better-defined (inaudible) for the future and that will allow us in the near future to keep taking steps in the right direction agreed on by both our countries.
I would like to reiterate our gratitude for the willingness to follow this line of cooperation within the new framework that we have created, and I would like to once again thank your team, because we have managed to get to where we are. The high-level team that will follow up on these matters will be reporting in the next few months in all of the items - regarding all of the items that we have agreed on.
Would you like to make any final statements?
SECRETARY RUBIO: (Via interpreter) I'd just like to thank you for the warm welcome, for the meetings today, and for the cooperation that we've had between two - the two countries and this cooperation that will continue to expand to benefit the people of Mexico and the United States. So thank you once again and see you soon, I hope. (Applause.)
