Mexico’s president considers legal action over Elon Musk cartel remark

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says her government is reviewing possible legal action after tech billionaire Elon Musk suggested she was linked to drug cartels in a post on X.

According to the Daily Mail, Musk made the comment while responding to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence, writing that she was ‘saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say’. He did not provide evidence to support the claim.

Speaking at her daily morning press conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum said government lawyers were examining the remark and considering whether to pursue legal action.

However, any defamation case in the United States could prove difficult, as US law provides strong protections for free speech and would require proof that Musk knowingly made a false statement or acted in disregard, per the Mail.

The exchange came after Mexican security forces captured and killed cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country’s most feared criminal organisations.

Authorities said the operation triggered retaliation several areas with roadblocks and arson attacks, but Sheinbaum insisted the government would continue pursuing stability rather than escalating violence.

Mexico has struggled with cartel-related violence for years, and it has intensified after the government launched a major military campaign against organised crime in 2006.

More than 130,000 people are reported missing nationwide, and several states are now experiencing a renewed unrest following the latest operation against the CJNG leadership.