Mexico’s Sheinbaum accuses U.S. of political interference after DOJ indicts Mexican domestic officials

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has accused the U.S. of political interference as tensions rise over DOJ charges against Mexican officials. Photo by YURI CORTEZ /AFP via Getty Images

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum launched her strongest criticism to date against what she says are blunt U.S. attempts to interfere in Mexican domestic politics.

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What had been a recurring theme in her recent speeches became on Sunday a rallying cry to stir up her supporters at a rally in Mexico City, where she claimed that since the deaths of two CIA agents on April 19, efforts by U.S. authorities and far-right groups to destabilize her government have intensified.

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The most serious attempt at intervention to date, according to her, came days after that incident when the Department of Justice indicted 10 Mexican officials — including Rubén Rocha Moya, the governor of Sinaloa state — on charges of alleged drug trafficking offences.

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“An incident of this magnitude is unprecedented in our bilateral relations,” she said. “Is this really a legitimate, genuine interest in helping Mexico? Or are we perhaps seeing sectors of the U.S. far right positioning themselves ahead of their 2026 elections?”

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The president assured that Mexico is open to and committed to maintaining security cooperation in order to prevent drug trafficking, but this does not mean that the U.S. can determine who is guilty of a crime or not.

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“When pressure is applied to our institutions from outside, when it becomes accepted that another country can intervene in matters that are the responsibility of Mexicans, we’re no longer talking about cooperation; we’re talking about interference,” said Sheinbaum.

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The case involving the 10 indicted individuals has become the main point of tension between Sheinbaum and President Donald Trump’s administration, as it marks the first time a U.S. authority has requested the arrest and extradition of a sitting, elected Mexican official.

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The Mexican government asserts that the Justice Department has not presented compelling evidence against the accused. The Mexican Attorney General’s Office has already opened an investigation into the case, and last week Rocha Moya and the rest of the indicted individuals testified before prosecutors, with the exception of two officials from Sinaloa who are already in custody in the U.S.

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Sheinbaum said it’s important to question the legitimacy of any extradition order, especially when it targets elected officials, and encouraged her supporters to launch media campaigns and messages opposing foreign interference.

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“First they come for some, then for others, until the Department of Justice becomes the main decision-maker in Mexico,” she said. “Who decides in Mexico? Foreign agents or the people?”

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— With assistance from Manuela Tobias.

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