Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is making headlines — and not for the right reasons. In remarks that stunned even seasoned observers of Mexico’s ongoing cartel nightmare, Sheinbaum publicly denounced the war on drugs this week, declaring that her administration will not “go that route” because killing drug traffickers “is a fascist approach that violates their rights.”
Yes, you read that correctly — Mexico’s president thinks the problem isn’t the drug cartels terrorizing her citizens, it’s the idea of fighting back against them.
Speaking at a press conference, Sheinbaum flatly rejected the idea of using force against the cartels: “It’s not an option,” she said. “It’s outside of the legal framework. These people from the right who talk about the ‘rule of law’ and defend the war against the narco — the war against the narco is illegal. It’s permission to kill without trial.” She went on to claim that such a strategy only increased violence in the past and accused anyone advocating for it of promoting “fascism.”
The timing of her remarks couldn’t be worse. Just days ago, Carlos Manzo, the courageous mayor of Uruapan, Michoacán — a man known for taking a hard stand against the cartels — was gunned down by a cartel-linked assassin during a Day of the Dead celebration. His murder has sparked outrage across the country, with citizens torching city halls and government buildings to protest what they see as their government’s cowardice and complicity.
Instead of cracking down on the cartels that are murdering public officials in broad daylight, Sheinbaum appears more interested in lecturing about “human rights” for criminals who’ve turned large swaths of Mexico into war zones. It’s the kind of moral confusion that has allowed cartels to flourish unchecked for decades — and now, it’s official policy.
The backlash hasn’t been limited to Mexico. Politicians in Peru recently labeled Mexico a “narco-state” and severed diplomatic ties altogether after Sheinbaum granted asylum to a Peruvian politician wanted on corruption charges. Peru even declared Sheinbaum persona non grata — a stunning rebuke from one Latin American government to another.
For millions of Mexicans living in fear of cartel rule, Sheinbaum’s words must feel like a betrayal. The so-called “war on drugs” may not have been perfect, but surrendering to the cartels under the banner of “anti-fascism” isn’t justice — it’s national suicide.
While President Trump worked to hold the line at America’s southern border and pressure Mexico to rein in the cartels, Sheinbaum’s government is doing the opposite: tying law enforcement’s hands, defending the killers, and letting chaos reign.
Mexico doesn’t need more excuses — it needs courage, leadership, and the will to fight evil. Unfortunately, under Claudia Sheinbaum, it looks like it’s getting none of the above.
