Rubio and Mexican Foreign Secretary Meet in Washington to Discuss Bilateral Agenda

-Editorial 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Roberto Velasco in Washington to discuss cooperation on shared regional priorities, including security, migration, drug and arms trafficking, and transnational organized crime.

The meeting comes as the United States and Mexico continue efforts to strengthen cooperation on security and migration while addressing the movement of illicit drugs and weapons across the border.

According to a readout issued by the U.S. State Department, Rubio called for what the department described as decisive action to end illegal immigration, stop the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States, and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and cartels. Rubio also called for efforts to deprive those groups of access to weapons.

The State Department said the meeting was intended to advance cooperation between the two countries on shared regional priorities. The readout did not provide additional details about specific agreements or new measures announced during the meeting.

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Ministry said the two officials discussed what it described as significant advances in security cooperation. The ministry said particular attention was given to combating drug and arms trafficking and transnational organized crime.

Velasco reiterated Mexico’s position that bilateral cooperation should continue to be based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, shared responsibility, mutual trust and collaboration without subordination, according to the ministry.

The officials also reviewed progress involving irregular migration and continued their discussions on the protection and respect for the human rights of Mexicans in the United States during immigration proceedings.

Migration and border enforcement have remained central issues in U.S.-Mexico relations, alongside efforts to address fentanyl trafficking and organized crime. Both governments have continued to emphasize cooperation while maintaining different approaches and priorities on sovereignty, enforcement and migration policy.

The Mexican ministry said Velasco was accompanied at the meeting by Ambassador Roberto Lazzeri Montaño; Cristina Planter Riebeling, undersecretary for North America; Efraín Guadarrama Pérez, head of the Unit for Projection for Diplomacy, Foreign Policy and Interinstitutional Organization; Carlos Botello, chief of staff for Ambassador Lazzeri Montaño; Oliver Arroyo Ramón, director general for Special Affairs and Border Modernization; and Rafael Saucedo Fuentes, head of Border and Special Affairs.