At her Monday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum fielded questions about two high-profile Mexicans who face serious criminal charges, one in the United States and the other here in Mexico.
She was also quizzed about an allegation made against her by one of Mexico’s most prominent opposition politicians.
Here is a recap of the president’s Aug. 25 mañanera.
Sheinbaum unconcerned by possible testimony from ‘El Mayo’ in US
A reporter asked the president whether there is “concern” in her government about possible testimony in the United States from Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who was arrested in the U.S. last year after arriving in New Mexico — against his will — on a private plane with one of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Later on Monday, Zambada pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in a U.S. federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
The aforesaid reporter noted that in February, Zambada demanded to be repatriated to Mexico, and highlighted that he said in a letter to the Mexican government that he could cause a “collapse” in the Mexico-United States relationship through his testimony in the U.S.
Sheinbaum responded “no” to the question about whether there was “concern” in her government about the information he could reveal.
Anything that Zambada says that is related to Mexico will have to be supported by “evidence” and by the Federal Attorney General’s Office in Mexico, she said.
“There is a procedure,” Sheinbaum said.
🚨 #ÚLTIMAHORA | “El Mayo” Zambada señala que el Cártel de Sinaloa alentó la corrupción en México al pagar a policías, militares y políticos que le permitieron operar libremente en México https://t.co/3H4Wi8dR5e pic.twitter.com/r9S985h1pF
— El Universal (@El_Universal_Mx) August 25, 2025
In court on Monday, Zambada admitted that the Sinaloa Cartel under his leadership bribed police, military personnel and politicians.
The New York Times reported that the septuagenarian will be sentenced to life in prison, noting that he “pleaded guilty to one count of taking part in a continuing criminal enterprise and one count of racketeering conspiracy.”
It remains to be seen whether Zambada will name any of the politicians that he says colluded with the Sinaloa Cartel, but that currently appears to be unlikely. His lawyer, Frank Perez, said in a statement that his client’s plea agreement doesn’t include any commitment to cooperate with U.S. authorities.
“The agreement that he reached with the U.S. authorities is a matter of public record. It is not a cooperation agreement, and I can state categorically that there is no deal under which he is cooperating with the United States Government or any other government,” Perez said.
In a post to X, Ioan Grillo, a veteran Mexico-based journalist who specializes in investigating and reporting on organized crime, wrote:
“I think it’s unlikely Mayo will testify against Mexican politicians (unpopular opinion).
– He is going to die in prison anyway.
– He could get better jail conditions by helping with asset seizures.
– He has family in Mexico to protect.
– Why take the stand? (Maybe, I’m wrong)”
Sheinbaum declines to comment on conduct of judge who released Julio César Chávez Jr. from prison
A reporter asked the president about the decision of a judge who ruled that former world middleweight boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr. could await trial on organized crime and firearms offenses outside prison.
“It’s what the judge decided, that’s it,” Sheinbaum said.
Later in her press conference, she said that it was up to the Federal Attorney General’s Office to decide whether to challenge the decision or not.
Chávez was deported to Mexico from the United States last week and subsequently transferred to a federal prison in Hermosillo, Sonora. He was released from prison on Sunday.
Like her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum has, at times, been critical of judges for releasing suspects from preventive detention before they face trial.
She argued that the judicial elections held in Mexico in June were necessary to rid the nation’s courts of corruption and other ills.
Sheinbaum’s war of words with PAN senator continues
A reporter noted that National Action Party (PAN) Senator Lilly Téllez was back on Fox News on the weekend and accused Sheinbaum of threatening to prosecute her.
During an interview on the Fox & Friends Weekend program, Rachel Campos-Duffy asked Téllez whether she is “afraid for her life” given the remarks she has made about Mexico being a “narco-state.”
Siempre he denunciando la corrupción, sobreviví a un atentado y continué luchando por la justicia en México.
Se equivoca @Claudiashein
No me intimida.
Digo la verdad, en defensa de los mexicanos.Entrevista de hoy, en vivo, muy temprano con @RCamposDuffy en @FoxNews 👇 pic.twitter.com/XLQYtMZFqv
— Lilly Téllez (@LillyTellez) August 24, 2025
“Yes, I am afraid and the president has threatened me, to proceed against me with criminal prosecution, to get me out of the Senate and get me in jail just because I told you, in this space, in Fox News, what is the reality of our country with the cartels,” the PAN senator said.
Asked whether Téllez’s remarks were true, Sheinbaum responded: “No, false.”
A war of words between the senator and the president began last week after the former told Fox News that most Mexicans would welcome U.S. assistance in the war against drug cartels.
Sheinbaum subsequently said it was “not a minor issue that a senator gave an interview to a foreign media outlet calling for intervention” from the United States.
Téllez responded with a lengthy statement on social media, contending she said no such thing.
On Monday, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the dispute had blown up on social media.
She subsequently stressed that her government has no intention to strip Téllez of her legislative immunity (known in Mexico as the “fuero“) or file a criminal complaint against her.
“But it is important that the people of Mexico know who is who and what they say,” Sheinbaum said.
“Now, they’re once again running with the ‘narco-government’ thing,” she said, adding that the tactic failed in last year’s federal elections — which the ruling Morena party dominated — “because the people know … [the claim] is false.”
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])
