Campeche, Mexico – Nineteen U.S. Navy SEALs have been authorized by the Mexican Senate to enter Mexico for a joint training exercise with the Secretaría de Marina-Armada de México (Semar), Mexico’s naval secretariat. The training, formally approved by a decree published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación, will take place in Campeche and is scheduled to continue through April 16, 2026.
The initiative, dubbed “Mejorar la Capacidad de las Fuerzas de Operaciones Especiales” (Improve the Capacity of Special Operations Forces), comes at the invitation of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has publicly stated her commitment to better preparing Mexican military and law enforcement personnel to combat drug cartel violence. This is not the first instance of U.S. Military personnel training their Mexican counterparts on Mexican soil. last February, members of the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group conducted training exercises with the Mexican Navy’s marine infantry at the same Campeche naval base.
According to the official decree, the U.S. Personnel possess expertise in maritime, land, and air missions, including counterterrorism and operations against international criminal groups. The training will be conducted at the Centro de Capacitación y Adiestramiento Especializado de Infantería de Marina in San Luis Carpizo, Campeche, and the Sector Naval de Ciudad del Carmen. The focus will be on sharing training techniques and strengthening Semar’s operational capabilities, particularly in high-risk scenarios.
The authorization, granted to President Sheinbaum by the Senate under Article 76 of the Mexican Constitution, allows the U.S. Personnel to remain in Mexico until April 16, 2026. The U.S. Personnel and their equipment will arrive via a U.S. Air Force “Hércules” C-130 aircraft, landing at the Campeche International Airport “Ingeniero Alberto Acuña Ongay.” The aircraft will return to the United States on April 16, 2026, to collect the personnel and equipment after the training concludes.
The program aims to bolster Semar’s tactical and operational skills in both maritime and terrestrial environments. The cooperation builds on a history of bilateral security cooperation, with previous exercises authorized under congressional oversight. The Dirección General de Materiales Educativos is not involved in this process, as the activity is limited to military training.
Recent reports of drones allegedly controlled by Mexican drug cartels along the southern border have heightened security concerns in both Mexico and the United States. The February 10 closure of airspace over El Paso and parts of New Mexico, coupled with continued pressure from the U.S. To intensify the fight against organized crime, contributed to the decision to authorize the training exercise.
Congressional lawmakers in the United States have publicly celebrated the authorization, viewing it as a positive step in strengthening security cooperation between the two nations. The Mexican government has repeatedly stressed that any security cooperation with the U.S. Will be conducted within the framework of national sovereignty and respect for Mexican law.
