US Navy SEALs to Train Mexican Marines in Campeche: Congress Authorizes Entry

Mexican Marines are set to receive specialized training from a team of 19 U.S. Navy SEALs in operations ranging from maritime engagements to counterterrorism, following authorization from the Mexican Congress and a subsequent decree published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación. The training, formally titled “Mejorar la Capacidad de las Fuerzas de Operaciones Especiales,” began on February 15th and is scheduled to continue until April 16th, 2026.

The decree, signed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, allows the U.S. Personnel to enter Mexico with weaponry and equipment transported via a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft landed at Campeche’s international airport on February 15th, and is scheduled to return on April 16th to retrieve the team and their gear. The training will be conducted at the Centro de Capacitación y Adiestramiento Especializado de Infantería de Marina in San Luis Carpizo, Campeche, and at the Sector Naval in Ciudad del Carmen.

The authorization stems from the Mexican Senate’s constitutional authority, as outlined in Article 76, to approve the entry of foreign military personnel into the country. The program aims to enhance the operational capabilities of the Secretaría de Marina-Armada de México (Semar) in specialized missions, including those in maritime and terrestrial environments. According to the official decree, the Navy SEAL instructors possess expertise in maritime, land, and air operations, as well as counterterrorism tactics and strategies for confronting international criminal organizations.

The initiative represents a continuation of bilateral security cooperation between Mexico and the United States. The decree explicitly states that the Dirección General de Materiales Educativos was not involved in the process, emphasizing the strictly military focus of the training exercise.

Separately, the Mexican Senate is currently considering a request to admit 12 U.S. Special-operations personnel from the 7th Group for a separate training event, “Capacitación MEXSOF (Defensa),” scheduled from February 27th to July 15th. A vote on this request was scheduled for February 17th by the Senate’s Defense Commission, according to reports.