Mexico City, Mexico – Mexican and US military will participate in joint tactical exercises called "Ardent Sentry 12" between May 2nd and 9th to prepare for a possible hurricane along the US-Mexican border.

"Military personnel will participate in this tactical exercise in order to coordinate the response to a natural disaster scenario at the common border," the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) said Tuesday.

The exercise will "strengthen the level of preparation for potential natural disasters. We must not forget that the Mexican Army and Air Force already have well-defined emergency procedures that come from the DN-III-E Plan," stated the Sedena.

Military personnel from both nations will simulate a class-four hurricane hitting the eastern US-Mexican Border and damaging the cities of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas.

The Sedena said that the exercise is designed to "create a rapprochement between the United States and Mexico, and that the exercise will allow both militaries to open up communication channels and coordinate efforts to help the people residing in that area, all the while respecting national sovereignty."

"The recent occurrence of large-scale natural disasters in other parts of the world has highlighted the need for international cooperation to respond to natural disasters and emergencies," stated the Sedena.

The Mexican military has participated in numerous training exercises and conferences, such as the Conference of American Armies, to prepare for natural disasters and respond to emergencies and provide aid to Mexicans as quickly as possible.