Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum weighs legal options over Elon Musk comments

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Addresses Accusations from Elon Musk

President Sheinbaum held a news conference on Tuesday to address comments made by right-wing tech billionaire Elon Musk, who accused her of ties to cartels. At the conference, she stated that her administration is considering taking legal action against Musk.

Musk had previously described Sheinbaum as being beholden to cartels and claimed that she leads a “narco-government”. In response, Sheinbaum characterized the allegations as “absurd” and “demonstrably false”, stating that they “fall apart all on their own”.

Sheinbaum’s administration has faced criticism for its national security policies following a recent spate of cross-country violence. The violence erupted after the death of top cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known by the nickname El Mencho. The Mexican military tracked El Mencho to Tapalpa in central Mexico before he died while en route to medical care.

Following El Mencho’s death, members of his criminal organization responded with road blocks, arson, and clashes with security forces, resulting in dozens of deaths. Musk was among those criticizing Sheinbaum’s handling of the situation, claiming that she was simply repeating what her cartel associates told her to say.

The comments from Musk have been echoed by US President Donald Trump, who has also pushed for more military action against cartels. In September, Trump’s State Department listed Mexico as an area of concern for drug-trafficking and outlined steps it expected the Mexican government to take to address the issue.

Sheinbaum has defended her administration’s track record, including deploying nearly 10,000 members of Mexico’s National Guard to the northern border in February 2025 to crack down on fentanyl trafficking. Her administration has also taken targeted military actions against cartels, with a focus on prosecuting criminals rather than killing them in law enforcement operations.

The Mexican government is currently reviewing Musk’s comments and considering potential legal action.

Source: Al Jazeera