Washington– The Trump administration is conducting a review of Mexico’s 53 consulates in the United States, a move that could lead to the closure of some of them, a State Department official said Thursday.
No reason was given for the review, which was previously reported by CBS News, or what it would entail, but it is likely to further inflame tensions between the two neighboring countries. The official was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
President Donald Trump has engaged in Latin American affairs more aggressively than any American president in recent decades. Venezuelan leader arrested in military raid He pushed massive reforms in Venezuela and imposed sanctions Oil blockade of Cubainvolvement in Argentina and Honduras electionsAnd the threat Military action on Mexican cartels.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to maintain a strong relationship with Trump and offset US threats by cracking down on Mexican cartels, which has led to a decline in homicides. But a series of scandals in recent weeks have sparked a political storm in Mexico.
Firstly, Two CIA agents died In an anti-drug operation with local authorities in the northern state of Chihuahua, which led to days Contradictions by Mexican authorities. Then last week, the United States A number of officials were charged Sheinbaum’s party – including a senior ally – over drug trafficking crimes.
Earlier this week, Trump said again: “If Mexico doesn’t act, we will act.”
All of this has intensified the Trump administration’s pressure on Sheinbaum and raised speculation about its insistence on ensuring Mexican sovereignty.
The Mexican network of diplomatic posts is the most extensive in the United States. Its consulates assist Mexican citizens living in the United States by providing identification documents, legal assistance, and other needs.
“The State Department continually reviews all aspects of U.S. foreign relations to ensure they are consistent with the President’s ‘America First’ foreign policy agenda and advance American interests,” said Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs.
In recent years, the United States closed a Chinese consulate in Houston and three Russian facilities, including a consulate in San Francisco and outposts near Washington and New York.
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Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.