Claudia Sheinbaum Rejects U.S. Sending Troops Into The Country: 'Last Time There Was An Intervention They Took Half Of Mexico's Territory'

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum again rejected any possibility of the U.S. sending troops into the country to fight criminal organizations, recalling that Mexico ceded more than half of its prewar territory in the annexation of Texas.

Speaking during her daily press conference, Sheinbaum said that "Mexico's history needs to be looked at" when discussing foreign interventions. "Last time there was a U.S. intervention in Mexico, they took half the territory."

"More than war, Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country. And it has cost Mexico enough to guarantee its freedom and independence," she added.

The topic has dominated the conversation in the country, especially since the operation that captured Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

Sheinbaum said that President Donald Trump suggested sending troops to her country to combat criminal organizations but she again rejected the possibility in a phone call this week.

She said that, asides from rejecting allowing U.S. troops in the country, she told Trump that organized crime can't be equated to terrorism and Mexico rejects any action that amounts to an intervention in the country.

"He understood, he was very kind," Sheinbaum said during a passage of the conference. She added that Trump recognized her administration's work in matters of security but noted that more can be done. "What's important is continue maintaining respect and collaboration," Sheinbaum added.

The call took place days after Trump threatened in an interview to "start hitting land with regards to the cartels." "Cartels are running Mexico, it's very sad to watch," Trump said in an interview with Fox News last week.

The remark was quickly dismissed by Sheinbaum, who recently told Bloomberg "I don't believe in an invasion; I don't think it's something they take seriously." She went on to say that Trump has repeatedly requested U.S. military forces be allowed into Mexico, and she has always rejected the possibility.

However, a recent report from The New York Times noted that Mexican officials have grown increasingly alarmed about potentially having its territory targeted by the U.S.

An official told the outlet that the operation made them think "oh boy, this is more serious than we thought, and we are on the list of who could be next, and worse, we have been warned."

Elsewhere in the report, officials noted that they have had to rethink their criticism of the U.S. operation that captured Maduro due to the possibility that it could help trigger Trump.