Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that her legal team is reviewing whether to pursue action against Elon Musk after the billionaire suggested on X that she responds to "her cartel bosses." She called the accusation "absurd" and said it "falls apart on its own."
"This absurd narco-government claim... if it was absurd before, it's even more so now," Sheinbaum said during her morning press conference. "They don't even know what to invent. It's almost laughable to read them."
🇲🇽 | Sheinbaum does not rule out suing @elonmusk for claiming that the president obeys orders from a cartel. pic.twitter.com/sgzVlYwMbF
— Alerta Mundial (@AlertaMundoNews) February 24, 2026
Musk's comment came in response to a meme account that shared a video of Sheinbaum outlining the risks of declaring a renewed "war on drug trafficking," including civilian harm and human rights violations. The account asked whether she was "a plant of the cartel." Musk replied: "She only says what her cartel bosses tell her to say. Let's say the punishment for disobedience is a little worse than a 'performance improvement plan.'"
Musk's remarks come at a sensitive moment in Mexico. The recent killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has triggered violence in several states. Authorities continue efforts to restore stability.
She’s just saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say. Let’s just say that their punishment for disobedience is a little worse than a “performance improvement plan” …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2026
Sheinbaum defended her administration's approach, saying it prioritizes legality and human rights. An open war on cartels, she has argued, would be "outside the framework of the law" and amount to "permission to kill without trial." Addressing the controversy, she added: "They will never agree with us, no matter what we do. What matters to me is what the people say."
The exchange follows similar claims made last year by the president of the United States, who said Sheinbaum was "afraid of the cartels" and that "the cartels run Mexico." At the time, Sheinbaum rejected the assertion but did not explore legal avenues. "In Mexico only one entity governs, and that is the people of Mexico" Sheinbaum responded at the time. "No one else."
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