Mexican President Sheinbaum Files Defamation Lawsuit Against El Chapo Lawyer

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has filed a defamation lawsuit against Jeffrey Lichtman, the New York-based lawyer representing Ovidio Guzmán López, son of cartel leader Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán. The legal action follows Lichtman's public accusations that Sheinbaum's administration acts as a public relations arm for drug traffickers and is entangled with cartel corruption. Sheinbaum has strongly denied these allegations, emphasizing her administration’s moral and political authority and rejecting any dialogue with Lichtman. The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny, as Guzmán López has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and is expected to cooperate with U.S. authorities, potentially revealing links between Mexican officials and cartels. Meanwhile, Mexican Senator Lilly Tellez has also publicly criticized Sheinbaum for alleged softness on organized crime and supposed cartel ties, intensifying political tensions around the government’s anti-cartel efforts. Lichtman dismissed the lawsuit as political grandstanding, arguing that filing it in Mexico rather than the U.S. renders it ineffective.