Mexico denies claims of joint operation with US drug agency

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denied Tuesday that her government is working with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

"There is no agreement for any particular operation that has been recently agreed upon with the DEA," Sheinbaum said at a news conference.

The DEA announced Aug. 18 a "major new initiative to strengthen collaboration between the United States and Mexico in the fight against cartels."

Project Portero was supposedly an operation to crack down on cartel "gatekeepers" or operators who control the flow of narcotics into the US, along the southwestern border.

The operation constituted a multi-week training program with federal, intelligence and US security agencies instructing Mexican investigators and authorities to take down drug cartel operations.

"Project Portero and this new training program show how we will fight-by planning and operating side by side with our Mexican partners, and by bringing the full strength of the U.S. government to bear," said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole.

But Sheinbaum said Mexico will not recognize any report issued without her government's knowledge.

"It's important to clarify this because any joint communication must be done jointly. We do not validate anything issued by a U.S. government institution that has not consulted with the Mexican government," Sheinbaum added.