Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday addressed controversial remarks from tech billionaire Elon Musk, who accused her of being influenced by cartels. Sheinbaum called the allegations “laughable” and revealed that legal action is under consideration.
At her morning press briefing, Sheinbaum rejected Musk’s accusations that she leads a “narco-government,” describing them as “absurd” and demonstrably false.
“Well, we are considering whether to take any legal action,” Sheinbaum said. “The lawyers are looking into it… It falls apart all on its own. Honestly, it’s laughable.”
Musk had criticized Sheinbaum in response to a viral video where the president advocated for alternatives to a militarized “war on drugs” approach. He wrote that she was merely repeating what “her cartel bosses tell her to say,” adding that disobedience could result in more than a mere “performance improvement plan.”
Violence follows death of cartel leader
The comments come in the wake of heightened violence after the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
El Mencho was shot by authorities in Tapalpa while en route to medical care. Following his death, the cartel responded with roadblocks, arson, and clashes with security forces, resulting in dozens of deaths.
Musk and other online commentators criticized Sheinbaum’s handling of security in Mexico, raising questions about the government’s strategy against organized crime.
US pressure and political context
Musk is a vocal critic of left-wing governments, aligned with former US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused Sheinbaum of being ineffective in combating cartels.
In recent years, the US State Department and Trump have urged Mexico to take stronger action against drug trafficking, including targeting cartel leadership, labs, and financial networks. Trump himself has hinted at possible military interventions in Mexico, which Sheinbaum has consistently rejected as violations of national sovereignty.
Mexico’s security measures
Sheinbaum defended her administration’s record, noting the deployment of nearly 10,000 National Guard members to the northern border in February 2025 to combat fentanyl trafficking.
Her government has also conducted targeted operations against cartel members and overseen extraditions of dozens of suspects to the US. In January 2025, 37 individuals were transferred; additional groups of 13 and 14 suspects were extradited in April and August, respectively.
