Mexican president defends sovereignty, rejects use of Mexico in U.S. politics

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday reiterated her stance on national sovereignty and rejected U.S. political pandering at Mexico’s expense ahead of U.S. midterm elections.
“As we have always said, Mexico is nobody’s pinata. Mexico must be respected. We do not interfere in their elections. They also should not use Mexico in their elections,” Sheinbaum said during her regular daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City.
The president was responding to recent comments by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who claimed that drug trafficking groups control “vast territories” of Mexico and that they “pose an enormous threat right on our border.”
Sheinbaum viewed Rubio’s words as motivated by the upcoming U.S. midterm elections in November.