In an ironic twist, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sparked a news controversy after exchanging barbs with the lawyer representing Ovidio Guzman, one of the sons of jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The Mexican politician is claiming to be offended after the U.S. lawyer called her government corrupt for having protected an infamous Mexican army general accused in a U.S. court of drug trafficking.
The controversy began late last week, soon after Ovidio Guzman pleaded guilty to various drug conspiracy charges as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Sheinbaum stated that the U.S. government needed to share information with her government and that Guzman’s claims required substantiation with evidence.
“It is important that information is provided,” Sheinbaum said. “They must have all the information, and our attorney general is requesting all information related to the case.”
Sheinbaum’s comments were met with a rebuttal by Ovidio Guzman’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, who said Sheinbaum’s request was absurd and pointed out how Mexico’s government had protected General Salvador Cienfuegos. The general was facing drug charges in the United States. As Breitbart Texas reported at the time, U.S. prosecutors allowed Mexico to prosecute Cienfuegos first, but as soon as he arrived in that country, authorities released him.
Lichtman pointed out how Sheinbaum’s mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, claimed that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had fabricated the case against Cienguegos.
When asked about Lichtman’s comments, Sheinbaum claimed that he was being disrespectful to her office.
Lichtman has since responded on social media, claiming that Sheinbaum acts as the PR wing for drug cartels and that he would be releasing more information in the future.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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