The Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her government is considering possible legal action after tech billionaireElon Musk linked her to drug cartels, an allegation she has described as baseless, as reported byReuters.
On 23 February following the post Musk published on X, in which he accused Sheinbaum of acting on behalf of criminal groups. Responding to a 2025 video in which Sheinbaum discussed cartel violence and rejected a return to a "war on drugs," He claimed she was "just saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say." He offered no evidence to support the allegation.
'Let's just say that their punishment for disobedience is a little worse than a 'performance improvement plan' ...' Musk added in the same post.
The president held a press conference on February 24, to dismiss the claims as "absurd" and said government lawyers were reviewing Musk's comments to determine whether legal action is necessary.
As reported by theUSA Todayshe said, 'I don't know how they make this stuff up'. She also added in her remarks "It makes me laugh reading this from the commentators."
Sheinbaum also rejected allegations that her administration constituted a "narcogobierno," or a government controlled by drug traffickers, repeating that the accusations are only made-up without evidence.
The controversy followed a majorsecurity operation by Mexican authoritiesthat resulted in the killing of wanted drug trafficker Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho. Officials said armed forces carried out the operation on 22 February in the Mexican state of Jalisco, targeting the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC).
Following the statement of the Mexican Authorities the operation was conducted with support from US military intelligence. They have worked to restore order in several regions after armed groups carried out public displays of violence, including shootouts, arson attacks and road blockades across multiple states.
Sheinbaum said that it is expected that the security and safety of Mexico is stabilised following the upheaval and turned down advice that the operation marked a shift toward a more militarise security strategy. When she was asked whether it signalled a return to a tougher tactics, she said this would not be the case.
In the 2025 video referenced by Musk, Sheinbaum argued thatreviving a "war on drugs" approachwas neither viable nor lawful. She cited the 2006 military-led offensive launched under former president Felipe Calderón as a turning point that contributed to cartel fragmentation and decades of sustained violence.
Source: International Business Times UK
