Sheinbaum files defamation lawsuit after lawyer for ‘Los Chapitos’ calls the president a cartel ‘PR arm’

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has filed a defamation suit against Jeffrey Lichtman aft the U.S. lawyer made derogatory comments pursuing a tribunal proceeding successful Chicago.

Sheinbaum is accusing the New York-based transgression lawyer of defamation aft Lichtman said past Friday that the Mexican president was acting similar a nationalist relations limb for cause traffickers.

In a societal media station connected Tuesday, Arturo Ángel, victor of Mexico’s National Journalism Award successful 2017, reported that Mexico’s Office of Legal Counsel (CJEF) had filed a suit against Lichtman. A time earlier, Ángel had breached the news that Sheinbaum intended to formalize the defamation accusation. 

Lichtman’s arguable comments came aft his client, Ovidio Guzmán, lad of jailed Sinaloa Cartel person Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, pleaded blameworthy to cause trafficking and organized transgression charges successful U.S. national court. 

On Friday, Sheinbaum complained of a deficiency of connection from the United States astir Ovidio’s plea deal. “It should beryllium precise wide that we bash not support [cartel members]. What we privation is clarification,” she said during her July 11 property conference. 

After his client’s hearing, Lichtman responded to Sheinbaum’s criticism, calling the thought that helium would question Mexico’s practice successful the lawsuit “absurd.”

Lichtman questioned the contented of involving the Mexican authorities successful cause trafficking cases, citing Mexico’s determination successful 2021 to merchandise erstwhile Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos aft helium was indicted successful the U.S. connected cause charges.

He besides compared Mexico’s inability to seizure highly sought-after cause lord Ismael Zambada to Pakistan’s inability to seizure Osama bin Laden portion the Saudi violent hid retired successful Abbottabad, implying that Mexican officials are protecting criminals.

🗳📌 SHEINBAUM RESPONDE AL ABOGADO DE OVIDIO GUZMÁN: “FUE IRRESPETUOSO”

La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum respondió al abogado de Ovidio Guzmán, Jeffrey Lichtman, quien calificó de “absurda” la thought de que México debía participar en el acuerdo de culpabilidad firmado en EU.

Dijo… pic.twitter.com/UTeiHoKsoz

— Juan Ortiz 🗳️👁‍🗨 (@Juan_OrtizMX) July 11, 2025

From Sinaloa connected Friday afternoon, Sheinbaum rapidly held a property conference connected the quarrel, wherever she called Lichtman “disrespectful.” Shortly after, the Federal Attorney General’s Office released a statement demanding that the lawyer taxable documentation to beryllium his allegations that Mexican officials are colluding with cause traffickers.

In response, Lichtman referred to Sheinbaum arsenic a cartel spokesperson successful a societal media post:

“Apparently the president of Mexico is displeased with my truthful comments astir her corrupt bureau and government. She tin telephone arsenic galore hastily convened property conferences arsenic she likes, but the radical of Mexico (and myself), cognize she acts much arsenic the nationalist relations limb of a cause trafficking enactment than arsenic the honorable person the Mexican radical deserve.” 

When asked connected Monday to respond, Sheinbaum declined, saying she would not prosecute successful a tit-for-tat with an lawyer who defends cause traffickers. Instead, she said, the CJEF would record a suit successful Mexico, “because we tin not let specified slander.” 

And determination you go. According to Jeffrey Lichtman, Ovidio Guzman’s lawyer, the crushed USA doesn’t spot #Mexico erstwhile it comes to coordinating against the cartels is due to the fact that of the Cienfuegos debacle.

Hard slap to the #morena socialist narcoregime. https://t.co/Rcav3RQWpf pic.twitter.com/3wk6iOwa22

— David Wolf (@DavidWolf777) July 11, 2025

Sheinbaum besides said her medication was reviewing the Cienfuegos lawsuit and Lichtman’s engagement successful it, insisting that Cienfuegos is innocent. 

For his part, Lichtman has declined to remark further.

During Friday’s tribunal hearing, it was confirmed that Lichtman, who served connected El Chapo’s defence team, would beryllium defending brothers Iván and Alfredo Guzmán successful summation to Ovidio. Lichtman was already serving arsenic defence lawyer for different Guzmán sibling, Joaquín, who turned himself into U.S. authorities successful July 2024.

With reports from Milenio, El Financiero and Border Report