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December 25th (leer en español)
There is a new player on the American military chessboard, and it's right on our own border. Mexico has just announced a decision that is shaking the foundations of continental geopolitics: the construction of anti-aircraft and ballistic missile bases in its main border areas—Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros—names that until now evoked commerce, migration, or public safety, but which could soon become synonymous with strategic military power.
The announcement was significant. The Ministry of National Defense itself confirmed that these new facilities will be equipped with state-of-the-art air defense systems, short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, and underground control centers with immediate response capabilities.
But why now? At a time when the world is facing an arms race unprecedented since the Cold War, Mexico seems to be drawing a very clear line: protecting its sovereignty with its own force. And this step is not symbolic; it is operational. There is already talk of military structures that will rival the most modern in the hemisphere.
The move has sparked immediate concern north of the Rio Grande. From the United States, former President Donald Trump raised his voice with harsh statements, accusing Mexico of unnecessarily provoking Mexico and even questioning whether these missiles might contain Russian technology. The question is not only whether Mexico is arming itself.
The real question is, where is its foreign and defense policy headed? Are we witnessing the birth of a new Mexican military doctrine? Is this the beginning of a period of real autonomy from U.S. power? And what implications might this have for the balance of power in Latin America? The truth is that, for the first time in a long time, Mexican defense is no longer relying solely on rhetoric and is now materializing in bases, missiles, and territorial sovereignty.
And everything indicates that this is just the beginning. For decades, Mexico's defense strategy has been marked by an unwritten premise: non-intervention and military neutrality. Unlike other regional powers, Mexico has never projected an image of an armed or belligerent nation. Its foreign policy has traditionally been based on respect for sovereignty and the principle of non-alignment.
But times are changing, and so is the country. Growing global tensions, regional conflicts, and the constant threat of organized crime have forced a rethinking of the model. It is no longer enough to have armed forces dedicated to internal operations. Today, Mexico is looking toward its borders with a new mindset.
If the world changes, so do we. In recent years, the country has strengthened its defense budget, modernized part of its air fleet, and begun producing weapons under domestic license. But the announcement of new missile bases marks a turning point. This is not a simple tactical improvement; it is a strategic shift, and like any shift, it has brought consequences.
The reaction from Washington was swift. Donald Trump did not hesitate to label the Mexican plan a provocation. "Mexico does not need missiles. If they are buying Russian technology, that is a very serious problem for us," he declared publicly. The suspicion that Mexico may be acquiring military technology from Russia not only generates concern but also triggers diplomatic alerts.
Although there is no confirmed evidence, the mere rumor is enough to strain relations, especially when it involves bases located very close to U.S. territory. The problem is not just the technology or the weaponry. The problem is the symbol this move represents. An autonomous Mexico, capable of making military decisions without asking Washington's permission, fits easily into the region's historical narrative.
And in this context, an inevitable question arises: Is Mexico challenging U.S. military hegemony in North America? Because if the border was once a monitored line, today it can become a line defended with force, technology, and missiles. For many analysts, the key lies not in what Mexico is building, but in where it is building it.
Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros. Three names that evoke not only border cities, but also areas historically marked by violence, drug trafficking, and migration. And now, for the first time, also by the presence of underground missiles. The contrast is striking. While the United States maintains more than 800 military bases worldwide, many of them in countries that don't even share a border, Mexico is only just beginning to define an external military strategy.
And yet, Washington reacts as if it were a direct threat. Why so much unease? The problem is twofold. On the one hand, these bases represent a clear form of asserting sovereignty. They are not offensive structures designed to attack, but defensive ones intended to shield Mexican airspace, yet they still break with a historical dynamic of dependence and their geostrategic mission.
On the other hand, there's the Russia factor. Although the Mexican government hasn't confirmed any direct purchases from Moscow, the mere fact that Russian systems are cheaper, more effective in certain areas, and available without diplomatic strings attached is unsettling. And here another contrast comes into play.
While the United States has maintained military training camps on Mexican territory for decades, supposedly to combat drug trafficking, now that Mexico has decided to inspect them and establish its own bases, the tone changes. There's talk of a threat, a provocation, a rupture. Isn't that a double standard? Claudia Sheinbaum's government is clear on this.
The oversight of the U.S. camps and the construction of Mexican missiles are part of the same narrative: regaining control of the territory, military decisions, and foreign policy. It's no longer about pleasing Washington, but about protecting national interests. And that's what's most troubling, because for the first time in a long time, a Latin American country is demonstrating, through actions and not just rhetoric, that it can forge its own path. And if that requires building missiles on the border, it will do so, even if it upsets those who have historically considered themselves the owners of their own backyard. What few expected was this: Mexico as the architect of its own defense strategy, leading a military transformation that goes far beyond missiles. Because these bases are not simply an arms buildup; they are the starting point of a renewed national military doctrine that seeks independence, sovereignty, and a strong presence.
The solution Mexico proposes is not offensive; it doesn't seek to declare war or intimidate. What it proposes is to reconfigure its security from within, building a defense network that doesn't depend exclusively on foreign powers or secret agreements. In other words, for the first time in decades, Mexico is designing a Mexican defense architecture for Mexican problems.
And in this redesign, the missile bases serve both a symbolic and a tactical function. Symbolic because they send a clear message to the world. We are no longer a country without a real military response capability. Tactically. Because they are securing sensitive areas from which a conflict could escalate, not only with cartels armed with military arsenals, but also in the event of regional clashes with external powers.
And who is behind this transformation? A technical team from the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), which has been working quietly for the past two years, gathering information on modern conflicts, designing simulations, and evaluating defense models used by countries in similar situations, such as Turkey, Israel, and Brazil.
But there's an even more unexpected twist. Far from following in the footsteps of Venezuela or Cuba, Mexico is betting on a hybrid model that combines domestic technology, imports from Western allies such as French radars and Israeli systems, and potentially Russian-made options if they prove more cost-effective. And in this scenario, Claudia Sheinba emerges as a leader determined to break the mold, because beyond her social commitments, she understands that without security there is no sovereignty, and without sovereignty there is no future. The unexpected element isn't the missiles themselves; it's that Mexico is finally ceasing to ask permission to protect itself, and that changes everything. To understand the magnitude of this project, we have to visualize it. Imagine kilometers of desert in northern Sonora or open areas near Matamoros discreetly transformed into technologically sophisticated operations centers.
There, hidden beneath reinforced concrete structures, lie the launch platforms, surveillance radars, and command centers. Each base will be divided into three zones: a tactical zone, an underground missile zone, and an air control zone. The tactical zone houses rapid deployment units, elite soldiers with specialized training in anti-aircraft and ballistic missile systems.
These teams have been trained using protocols inspired by the defensive doctrines of countries like India, Turkey, and France, which face multiple threats on their borders. In the underground zone, the missiles will be stored in sealed vertical silos equipped with automatic response technology. It is estimated that each base will be able to accommodate between 12 and 18 medium-range missiles designed to intercept aerial targets or deter massive ground attacks. We are not talking about nuclear warheads.
Mexico maintains its doctrine of non-proliferation, but rather of missiles with conventional, pinpoint accuracy capabilities. At the heart of it all is the air command and monitoring center, operating 24/7. Long-range, three-dimensional radar equipment, such as the French-designed GM400, will allow for the detection of any aerial incursion up to 470 km away.
These radars can simultaneously track more than 400 targets and feed real-time intelligence to the defense systems. Furthermore, the systems will be connected to the National Intelligence Center, enabling integration with satellite alerts, ground sensors, and patrol drones. This transforms the bases into nerve centers of a national defense network.
One of the most innovative features is the incorporation of military AI for multi-threat management. If a hostile drone crosses Mexican airspace, the system can detect, classify, and suggest a tactical action within seconds. The estimated cost is approximately 3 billion pesos per base, with mixed financing from the defense budget and technology agreements with partner companies.
It is, without a doubt, Mexico's most ambitious military project of the 21st century. And it's only just beginning. Beyond military strategy, the construction of missile bases in Mexico is already having far-reaching social, economic, and political repercussions. Because we're not just talking about defense; we're talking about jobs, sovereignty, and geopolitical reconfiguration.
First, the local impact is immediate. Each base generates more than 800 direct jobs during the construction phase and about 350 permanent jobs once it's operational. Engineers, electronics technicians, security personnel, logistics operators. Border communities, historically marked by unemployment and forced migration, are now becoming key points in the new national defense model.
Furthermore, the government has announced that some of the civilian infrastructure in surrounding areas will be modernized, including roads, hospitals, and power grids. In other words, the military presence entails social investment, which is generating a degree of consensus even among sectors that were previously skeptical. Economically, the project represents a direct injection of more than 25 billion pesos over the next five years.
But this is not money lost; it is being used to develop national technological capabilities. Mexico is investing in microcomponent factories, ballistic systems assembly, and the training of military technical personnel. All of this could become a new Mexican defense industry with the potential to even export to allied countries.
However, the most sensitive impact is on the diplomatic front. The decision has generated tensions with the United States. But it has also been viewed with respect by countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and even India. Mexico is beginning to emerge as an independent regional power capable of protecting its sovereignty without being completely dependent on Washington.
This policy of deterrent autonomy, as Shanba herself has called it, is awakening a sense of national pride. For many, it is the first time they have seen Mexico act in self-defense with such determination. For others, it is a dangerous way of provoking external powers, and yet one thing is clear.
Mexico has ceased to act as a passive spectator on the international stage. It has decided to strengthen its internal defense, not to aggress, but to avoid being aggressed against. The message is powerful. Mexico respects itself and is prepared to demonstrate this with technology, strategy, and resolve. Mexico's decision to install missile bases is not just a military strategy; it is a message.
A message of sovereignty, autonomy, and a new role on the regional geopolitical map. It is not merely about weaponry; it is about vision. It is about demonstrating that Mexico will no longer be a country that only reacts, that it is ready to anticipate, to defend itself, and to negotiate from a position of strength. Because when a country takes control of its security, it also begins to control its destiny.
And what we have seen is the beginning of a profound transformation. A Mexico that no longer simply receives orders or asks for permission. A Mexico that plans, responds, and commands respect. That is the true foundation, not the underground one, but the symbolic one, built with firm decisions, national identity, and a new approach to power.
Now, the challenge is to transform that military power into civilian power, into the capacity to protect, yes, but also to unite, to rebuild, to propose a new model for the country. And if this change of course surprised you, wait until you see the other major initiative that complements it. The president wants to unite all of Mexico with a passenger rail network, a backbone to connect regions, opportunities, and the future.
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