President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the Armed Forces ensure Mexico can govern without impositions amid external pressures. At the ceremony for the 113th anniversary of the Mexican Army Day in Puebla, she highlighted their role in sovereignty, security, and infrastructure building.
At the ceremony for the 113th anniversary of the Mexican Army Day, held in Puebla on February 20, 2026, President Claudia Sheinbaum underscored the crucial role of the Armed Forces in preserving national sovereignty. Addressing the Secretaries of National Defense, Ricardo Trevilla, and of the Navy, Raymundo Pedro Morales, Sheinbaum stated: “Today, in a complex world where external pressures, geopolitical interests, and global challenges can test the sovereignty of nations, our Armed Forces are a guarantee that Mexico will decide its destiny with independence”.
The president emphasized that sovereignty is not an abstract slogan but “the real capacity of our people to govern without impositions”. She also highlighted the Army's contributions beyond border defense, including support for public security and development projects. She mentioned the involvement of military engineers in building hospitals to improve health access, modernizing airports, and constructing railway works that integrate marginalized regions. “Each project is a concrete manifestation of public service, each infrastructure built is an expression of sovereignty in action”, she added.
Sheinbaum also announced plans to reform the National Migration Institute (INM) into the Human Mobility Institute, a proposal from its head, Sergio Salomón Céspedes. She endorsed his work: “Sergio Salomón works very well. He is doing a very good job at the institute”. This ceremony commemorates the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1913 and reinforces the government's commitment to national independence amid global challenges.