Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense (DEFENSA), which oversees Mexico’s Army and Air Force, and the California National Guard have entered a new alliance under the State Partnership Program (SPP), an initiative that builds military and civil cooperation between U.S. states and foreign governments. The state of California announced the collaboration on December 4, 2025, after U.S. military and DEFENSA leaders had signed a letter of intent on October 28.
The SPP pairs a U.S. state or territory’s National Guard with a partner nation’s military, security forces or government organization to enhance long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Mexico’s Maj. Gen. Javier Sandoval Dueñas, deputy chief of military doctrine of the National Defense Joint Headquarters Staff, and U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Matthew P. Beevers, the adjutant general of California, signed the agreement, which establishes joint training exercises, disaster response and military exchanges that foster operational compatibility.
“I am extremely pleased that the California National Guard was selected to partner with the Mexican army,” Beevers said, according to a California National Guard news release. “This partnership will enhance our homeland defense by fostering strong relationships between California and Mexico, enabling shared training and interoperability, exchanges and collaborative security efforts that ultimately strengthen our national security.”
A spokesperson for the California Military Department, which includes the California National Guard and California State Guard, told the Military.com website that the SPP provides more guidance and resources to assure long-term stability in the relationship between the California National Guard and DEFENSA. “With Mexico, we will focus on areas where both of us already have significant experience — disaster response, humanitarian assistance, counter-narcotics efforts,” the spokesperson told Military.com.
In January 2025, dozens of DEFENSA members, as well as personnel from other Mexican agencies, flew to California to help fight wildfires and provide humanitarian aid. Among other accomplishments, they put out 19 fires, built and widened firebreaks, inspected hundreds of collapsed structures, and found biological clues related to possible fire victims.
The new partnership marks a milestone as it is the second SPP for U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and builds on USNORTHCOM’s strong defense relationship with the Mexican armed forces — a decades-long relationship based on trust, mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty. USNORTHCOM’s first SPP agreement was established in 2005 between the Rhode Island National Guard and The Bahamas. California, meanwhile, also has partnered with the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 1993 and the Nigerian Armed Forces since 2006.
For more than 30 years, National Guard members have built lasting relationships with foreign counterparts through the SPP. The program pairs over 100 nations with National Guards from every state and U.S. territory to increase regional security and advance allied interests. Each year, Guard members conduct about 1,000 training exchanges with their SPP allies.
“The California National Guard’s partnership with Mexico through the State Partnership Program reflects our shared commitment to advancing security cooperation efforts,” said Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of USNORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command. “This collaboration enhances practical cooperation between our forces to address shared security challenges, fostering a safer and more secure Western Hemisphere.”