Claudia Sheinbaum calls the statements made by Ovidio Guzmán's lawyer "disrespectful."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called recent statements by U.S. attorney Jeffrey Lichtman , the defense attorney for Ovidio Guzmán López , son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán , “disrespectful.” The exchange of statements came after the hearing in which Ovidio accepted criminal responsibility before the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, as part of a settlement negotiated with the U.S. government.

The Mexican president expressed her position during a press conference at the National Palace , criticizing the U.S. policy of designating criminal organizations as "terrorists" and questioning the way in which the extradition and negotiation with Guzmán were carried out without any apparent consultation or participation from the Mexican government.

Following his client's hearing, Jeffrey Lichtman responded with a forceful message. He stated that the president " seems upset " at not having been informed of the agreement between the U.S. government and Ovidio Guzmán, and called the idea that the U.S. should consult Mexico in these cases absurd .

He recalled the case of General Salvador Cienfuegos , former Secretary of National Defense, who was detained in the U.S. for alleged ties to drug trafficking but was returned to Mexico at the request of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador . Cienfuegos was immediately exonerated , and the then-president accused the DEA of fabricating evidence , which Lichtman called a sign of a lack of cooperation and transparency on Mexico's part.

He also accused the Mexican government of violating bilateral treaties by disclosing confidential evidence in the Cienfuegos case, an incident that, according to the lawyer, damaged the relationship between the two nations regarding justice.

In his remarks, Lichtman went further , questioning the Mexican government's historical effectiveness in combating cartels. He noted that witnesses at El Chapo's trial made it clear that the Mexican military and high-ranking officials were bribed for years to allow the cartels to operate unhindered.

He particularly highlighted the case of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada , whom he described as “the greatest drug trafficker in the history of the world.” He emphasized that Zambada has lived freely in Mexico for decades , with no real effort by the authorities to capture him. “This isn’t about Osama bin Laden,” he said, “ this is about someone who lived in plain sight , and nothing was done.”

Lichtman concluded his criticism by stating that President Sheinbaum should investigate why her predecessors allowed this situation to happen , rather than acting as the “ public relations department of the Zambada cartel .”

President Claudia Sheinbaum , on a tour of Culiacán, Sinaloa , responded directly, calling the lawyer's remarks " totally disrespectful " toward the presidential institution . She vehemently denied any complicity with criminal groups and defended the Mexican state's role as autonomous in its judicial and diplomatic decisions.

He also emphasized that the Ovidio Guzmán case falls under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General's Office (FGR) , which subsequently adopted an institutional stance regarding Lichtman's allegations, reaffirming its role in the legal process.

The exchange of statements highlights the long-standing tensions between Mexico and the United States regarding extradition, the fight against drug trafficking, and cross-border legal proceedings. Cases such as those of Cienfuegos, "El Chapo," and now Ovidio Guzmán reflect profound differences in strategies, criteria, and levels of trust between the two governments.

While the United States prioritizes the use of testimony from collaborators and negotiated agreements, in Mexico, debate persists over the legality and legitimacy of these procedures , as well as questions about the true independence of the judiciary.

This confrontation between President Sheinbaum and the lawyer for one of the most notorious drug traffickers of recent years marks a key moment for the new government . In her first weeks at the helm, the president faces the challenge of maintaining a firm and diplomatically skillful stance on sensitive issues such as organized crime and international security cooperation.

Lichtman's words, beyond their provocative nature, raise questions that will remain on the bilateral agenda: Who should have control over the judicial processes of criminal figures operating on both sides of the border? And how can justice be guaranteed without politicization or opacity?

The exchanged statements between Claudia Sheinbaum and Jeffrey Lichtman open a new chapter in the complex judicial and diplomatic relationship between Mexico and the United States. While Ovidio Guzmán 's trial continues on U.S. soil, the political and media impact of these remarks will continue to generate debate. For the new Mexican government, this is an opportunity to strengthen its sovereign stance , but also to demonstrate that the fight against organized crime can be more effective, transparent, and free of complicity.