Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly criticized the United States government for negotiating a plea agreement with Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel. Sheinbaum questioned the coherence of the U.S. position, highlighting that while the U.S. designates the Sinaloa cartel and other criminal organizations as terrorist groups, it proceeded to reach a deal with Guzmán without informing the Mexican government. Ovidio Guzmán agreed to plead guilty to narcotics trafficking charges in a Chicago court. Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico does not defend criminals but expressed concern over the lack of coordination and transparency from the U.S. authorities in handling the case. Her comments also pointed to the contradiction in U.S. policy, which claims not to negotiate with terrorists yet made an agreement with a member of an organization it labels as such. The criticism has sparked debate about Mexico's security strategy and political stance, with some commentators suggesting Sheinbaum's position aligns with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's approach, which has been described as accommodating toward organized crime groups.