Mexico says 'no indication' plane carrying drugs came from El Salvador after diplomatic spat

SAN SALVADOR (AP) — Mexico's government clarified there was “no indication” that an airplane it intercepted loaded with cocaine had originated from El Salvador, according to a letter posted by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

The letter, posted on the social media platform X by the populist leader, comes after a diplomatic drama broke out between Bukele and Mexican officials when Mexico's security chief said authorities believed that a plane had come from El Salvador.

The assertions riled up Bukele, who recalled El Salvador's ambassador to Mexico and demanded a correction from the Mexican government. Bukele has staked much of his popularity on his hard-handed crackdown on crime.

He responded to the assertion the word “FALSE” on a post on X, that went on to detail the plane’s alleged flight path. Bukele also pointed out that the three men arrested with the plane were Mexican citizens.

Mexico's security chief Omar García Harfuch had backed away from his original statement that the plane originated in El Salvador, to later say that Mexican authorities picked up the plane on radar as it was passing the Salvadoran capital, albeit well out to sea. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday she would not engage in a dispute with her Salvadoran counterpart.

On Friday, the letter posted by Bukele - apparently written by Mexico's Secretary of Foreign Relations to the Salvadoran Embassy - clarified that there was no clear evidence the flight had originated from the Central American nation “nor that anyone in the country was linked to the incident.”

The letter, dated July 11, offers to respond to any other questions “that may arise on the topic” to preserve the relationship between the two countries and said it hopes to “strengthen the exchange of information to avoid similar situations in the future.”

Bukele said he appreciated the clarification. El Salvador's presidential office did not confirm if the country would send its ambassador back to Mexico, noting that “the president will decide.”