On July 14, 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced her intention to file a defamation lawsuit against American lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman, who represents Ovidio Guzmán, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. The announcement came during Sheinbaum’s morning press conference, where she condemned Lichtman’s recent public statements as “irresponsible” and “disrespectful to the institution of the presidency”.
Lichtman had accused Sheinbaum of acting as “the public relations arm of a drug cartel,” specifically referencing the organization led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. He made these remarks following Ovidio Guzmán’s guilty plea in a U.S. federal court, criticizing the Mexican government’s alleged lack of involvement in the plea negotiations and referencing the controversial case of General Salvador Cienfuegos, who was arrested in the U.S. in 2020 but later exonerated in Mexico.
Sheinbaum responded firmly, stating that she would not engage in dialogue with “the lawyer of a narcotrafficker” and that her administration would pursue legal action through Mexico’s Legal Counsel Office. She emphasized that her government does not maintain corrupt relationships and called for the Mexican Attorney General’s Office to clarify the details surrounding the Cienfuegos case.
The dispute has sparked widespread media attention, with Lichtman doubling down on his accusations via social media, claiming that Sheinbaum’s administration is corrupt and complicit with organized crime. He also hinted at revealing more information shortly.
This legal confrontation underscores growing tensions between the Mexican government and high-profile legal representatives involved in transnational criminal cases. It also highlights the sensitivity surrounding Mexico’s role in international drug prosecutions and the political implications of public accusations made by foreign legal figures.
Source: Proceso
