Mexico Weighs Suit vs. Musk for Linking President to Drug Cartels

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she is considering legal action after tech billionaire Elon Musk alleged she was connected to drug cartels, Aida Pelaez-Hernandez reported for Reuters.

Responding to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence, Musk wrote that she was “saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say,” without providing evidence. (Photo: Claudia Sheinbaum Facebook)

Musk’s post on X followed the capture and killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” by Mexican security forces.

Responding to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence, Musk wrote that she was “saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say,” without providing evidence.

“We are considering whether to take legal action,” Sheinbaum said during her daily morning press conference, adding that government lawyers are reviewing the matter.

She could face difficulty pursuing a defamation case in the United States due to strong free speech protections. To prevail, she would need to prove Musk knowingly made a false statement or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

In the 2025 video, Sheinbaum said returning to a “war on drugs” was not feasible.

“Returning to the war on drugs is not an option … it is outside the framework of the law,” she said.