Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed claims of U.S. agents operating in Sinaloa as “fake news,” reaffirmed national sovereignty, and launched an inquiry into the disputed photograph.
President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday rejected claims that U.S. agencies had carried out anti-drug trafficking operations on Mexican soil, labeling as “fake news” a front-page photograph purporting to show U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents taking part in a raid on clandestine drug laboratories in Sinaloa state.
That disputed image, initially disseminated via a post from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and subsequently republished by outlets such as La Jornada, “does not correspond to any operation in Mexico,” the president’s office said. Its circulation on social media has prompted concerns over misinformation and potential challenges to public confidence in official institutions.
Sheinbaum reaffirmed that, since the previous administration, “there has been no subordination or participation of members of any U.S. agency in any operation” within Mexican territory. “We are not going to allow the violation of our sovereignty … it is a respectful relationship that has been maintained until now with (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump. It is important for the people of Mexico always to know this, and that under no circumstances will interference or violation of our sovereignty be allowed,” she stated.
To address the controversy, the presidency has ordered an official inquiry into the photograph’s origin and authenticity. Authorities will conduct a forensic review of the image’s metadata and trace its chain of custody to determine whether it was taken in Mexico or has been misrepresented
