The US State Department has suspended all government operations in Mexico's Michoacan state, citing a "threat against American interests." Michoacan is a stronghold of drug cartel activity, and the move underlines Washington's growing concern about the security situation in the region, which has implications for US-Mexico relations and cross-border cooperation on tackling organised crime.

The suspension comes amid heightened tension between the two countries, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum separately criticising the US government over its alleged role in the 2024 abduction of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, which she says violated Mexican sovereignty. Full details of the specific threat prompting the Michoacan suspension had not been disclosed at the time of reporting.