The US ambassador to Mexico recently had harsh words for the Mexican government, accusing it of “closing the doors” on security cooperation between the two countries.

US Ambassador Ken Salazar said at a press conference that the Mexican government’s strategy to “embrace rather than shoot” against violence has failed and that Mexico has “closed the door” to security cooperation between the two governments.

This comes as the Mexican state of Sinaloa is experiencing a wave of intercartel violence. Other parts of the country have also seen a recent increase in violence; This month, 10 people were killed in a bar in Querétaro, central Mexico.

Salazar said Mexico began closing itself off to security cooperation between the two countries after the United States arrested two cartel leaders earlier this year. He also accused the Mexican government of minimizing the problem of violence in the country.

“The truth is Mexico is not safe,” Salazar said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Salazar had previously praised cooperation between the two countries and said Mexico could make its own decisions about how to respond to violence within its borders.

“We coordinate, we work together, but there is no compliance,” Sheinbaum said.