By The Opinion
The Senate of Mexico approved the entry into the country of 96 elements of the United States Marine Corps to participate in training activities with the Secretary of the Navy (Semar), as part of military exercises scheduled in 2026.
According to media such as El Universal, the authorization was endorsed by a majority in the full Senate, and contemplates that the US military enters with weapons, equipment and aircraft to carry out joint exercises.
The 96 marines They will arrive staggered between May and August 2026with the objective of sharing tactics, techniques and procedures with Mexican forces.
A part of the contingent will participate in the “Multinational Amphibious Exercise FÉNIX 2026”, which will take place from May 8 to 30 at Semar facilities in Campeche.
The deployment includes different groups that will arrive on specific dates, some through commercial flights and others aboard military aircraft type C-130 Hercules, transporting tactical equipment.
In addition to the main group of Marines, the Senate authorized the entry of a delegation of 23 members of Navy SEAL Team 8, who will participate in specialized training activities.
According to the newspaper El Financiero, these actions seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation and improve the technical preparation of the Mexican armed forces in different operational scenarios.
The Senate justified the measure as part of the international collaboration mechanisms in defense matters, highlighting that Exercises are performed under supervision and for training purposes only..
The authorization is added to other recent permits for the temporary entry of non-public US military personnel into Mexico, within the framework of joint exercises and preparation for international events, such as the 2026 World Cup.
Although these decisions often generate political debate, the federal government has maintained that These are limited collaborations, without direct operational functionsfocused on training and institutional strengthening.
Keep reading:
– Mexico approves the entry of the US Army to train Federal Forces heading to the Soccer World Cup.
– Mexico authorized the entry of 19 elite US sailors for training work.
