Specialists claim that the measure could be seen as a violation of Mexican sovereignty

Mexico and the United States are studying the possibility of whether to deploy armed US federal police officers in commercial cross-border flights. The aim of this measure is strengthening security and cooperation bonds between the countries, and ‘softening’ Donald Trump's position regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The information reported by Reuters news agency indicates that US and Mexican official would have met on January 18 at the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, to study the "convenience of negotiating an agreement for the deployment of Federal Air Marshals on commercial flights", which would be executed to reinforce the safety of passengers and crew during flights.

This agreement would not represent a legal controversy if American security agents travel exclusively on US flights, but it is still unknown wether they would also be deployed on Mexican airlines. In 2003, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York, Mexico agreed to place its own police officers on certain flights, but stressed it would never allow the presence of US agents on board its commercial airlines, let alone armed. Therefore, the deployment of armed sheriffs would go against its own established terms.

While this idea is being analyzed by both parts, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that its government continues to evaluate the "operational benefits" of the security measure, but admitted that there are still matters to consider, and no agreement has yet been reached.

A sacrifice for NAFTA?

Disagreements between US, Canada and Mexico regarding the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have kept Mexico in a position of disparity in the face of Washington's protectionist impulses. This is why, according to political experts, Mexico would see the deployment of US officers in commercial cross-border flights, as an opportunity of softening Trump’s position in NAFTA negotiations.

However, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Luis Videgaray said that Mexico will not negotiate NAFTA in exchange for air-marshals on board commercial flights: "We are analyzing from its legal viability to its potential operational convenience and safety (…) The decision we will make will be a decision that suits the interests of Mexicans and is attuned with our legal framework".

The deployment of armed American agents on Mexican commercial flights would not be the only settled security measure between these two countries. Other joint strategies, such as the establishment of a bilateral research agency, combined efforts to eradicate opium and marijuana plantations and the negotiation of a maritime seizure treaty, are part of the nations' strategies to confront and dismantle the modus-operandi of transnational criminal organizations.

Nonetheless, the presence of armed foreign officers aboard Mexican flights, could become a delicate situation for the Latin American nation, as it would be granting ground on issues of foreign policy and even sovereignty.

Latin American Post | Krishna Jaramillo

Copy edited by Laura Rocha Rueda