US Coast Guard says it was fired on from Mexico; Sheinbaum asks for evidence

Right · 2The US Coast Guard says personnel conducting joint interdiction operations near Garceño, Texas, came under fire from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande on Sept. 26 and returned fire. 1 2 Right · 1The Coast Guard reported no injuries or damage to its vessels or equipment, and said the incident remains under investigation. 1 Right · 1After US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson publicly announced the incident, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum demanded evidence that the shots came from Mexican territory, saying, "We asked for all the evidence because we have no evidence," and that Mexican security forces had not detected shots originating there. 1

Right · 1A State Department spokesman said Coast Guard personnel were fired upon from Mexican territory and that the available information had been shared with Mexico through official channels. The department did not say what was shared or when, and US officials have not publicly identified the shooters or explained how they determined where the gunfire came from. 1 Right · 1Sheinbaum later said Mexico's military ministry keeps communication with NORTHCOM and the Coast Guard and that a "mirror operation" coordinated with the US remains active. She said Mexico wants a good relationship with the US "within the framework of our sovereignty, our territorial integrity, mutual trust, and coordination without subordination." Fox News noted her response did not explicitly confirm whether Mexico had received the information Washington says it shared. 1 Right · 1The incident occurred during Operation River Wall, a Coast Guard initiative launched in October 2025 to deter illegal migration, drug smuggling and other threats along about 300 miles of the Rio Grande. The Coast Guard says it has deployed more than 1,000 personnel and more than 30 assets in the region, and Mexico's Navy Ministry said it deployed 159 naval personnel, 11 vehicles and two drones to the Tamaulipas sector. 1

Right · 2US Northern Command said American troops are being repositioned to the Rio Grande Valley ahead of a seasonal rise in attempted illegal crossings; a Washington Examiner opinion piece describes the deployment as announced a week after the incident. 1 2 Right · 2Analysts quoted by Fox News differed in emphasis: Santiago Vidal Calvo of the Manhattan Institute tied Sheinbaum's stance to pressure within her coalition and regional politics, while Simon Hankinson said cartel involvement was possible but doubted Mexican military personnel would deliberately fire across the border. The Washington Examiner opinion piece argues that cartel gunfire at the Coast Guard should be treated as terrorism, not crime. 1 2