139 US troops cleared to enter Mexico for joint training in Chihuahua

139 U.S. Army soldiers have received official permission from Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum to enter the country for joint military training in the state of Chihuahua. This authority was granted by Mexico's Senate on Monday, allowing the troops to land at Santa Gertrudis Air Force Base south of Chihuahua city on Sunday. The authorization follows a tense period in the U.S.-Mexico relationship, characterized by disputes over issues such as the CIA's alleged involvement in a drug lab raid in Chihuahua without Mexican approval, drug-trafficking accusations against Mexican officials, and proposed unilateral actions against drug cartels by the Trump administration.

During their 11-day stay, the U.S. soldiers will engage in exercises at the Centro Nacional de Adiestramiento (National Training Center) in Santa Gertrudis, Chihuahua – the largest training facility of the Mexican military. The training will focus on simulated combat scenarios, including sniper position destruction, airfield seizure, air assault execution, fuel supply point destruction, and target capture and extraction using live fire. The soldiers will be staying at the CNA throughout their stay in Mexico.

The primary objective of these joint training exercises is to enhance operational capabilities between the U.S. and Mexican Armed Forces by adhering to principles of respect, sovereignty, territorial integrity, shared responsibility, mutual trust, and collaboration without subordination. The Senate emphasized that the joint training will not only improve the preparedness of individual and collective forces but also strengthen bilateral military cooperation mechanisms.

The 139 soldiers participating in the exercises belong to the 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, also known as the "Screaming Eagles." This division is the only air assault division in the United States Army and is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.