MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum denied Tuesday that her administration had an agreement with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, a day after the U.S. agency announced "a major new initiative" to collaborate in the fight against drug cartels.

Also Tuesday, a U.S. official said the United States is deploying three Aegis-guided missile destroyers to the waters off Venezuela as part of an effort to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels.

Sheinbaum was referring to "Project Portero," an effort announced Monday by the DEA, calling it a "flagship operation" against smuggling routes that move drugs, guns and money across the border.

"The DEA put out a statement yesterday saying that there is an agreement with the Mexican government for an operation called Port

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