Mexico City, Mexico - Donald Trump's threat of military strikes against drug cartels inside Mexico is a non-starter, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday.

"It's not going to happen," she said at a press conference, responding to Trump's warning that he would do "whatever we have to do," including strikes within the territory of the key US economic partner and ally.

"We don't want interventions by any foreign government. There is cooperation and there is coordination, but not subordination," Sheinbaum said.

Referring to a war in the 19th century, she said "the last time the United States came to intervene in Mexico, they took half of the territory."

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"We cannot permit an intervention."

Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he would authorize an attack on Mexico if deemed needed.

"Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It's OK with me," Trump said. "I didn't say I'm doing it, but I'd be proud to do it. Because we're going to save millions of lives by doing it."

The threat came as the US has deployed significant military forces, including a giant aircraft carrier, near Venezuela to pressure the leftist president, Nicolás Maduro, accusing him without evidence of leading a drug cartel.

US forces have blown up more than 20 small boats, killing at least 83 people, according to an AFP tally.

No proof has been presented to back up the Pentagon's claims that the boats in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coast were running drugs and threatened the US – which would not, in any case, make the strikes justified under law.