Sheinbaum brushes off Trump’s cartel threats: May 7 mañanera

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

• 🇺🇸 Trump’s cartel threat: Sheinbaum brushed off Trump’s latest warning that the U.S. would take action against Mexican cartels if Mexico doesn’t, indicating she wasn’t concerned “because we are acting” against organized crime.

• ⚖️ Rocha Moya defense: The president rejected Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos’ claim that her government is shielding Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya from U.S. drug trafficking allegations.

• 🗳️ Clouthier steps down: Tatiana Clouthier resigned as head of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad to pursue the Morena gubernatorial candidacy in Nuevo León ahead of the 2027 elections, consistent with Sheinbaum’s rule that officials seeking office must first leave their posts.

Why today’s mañanera matters

Today’s mañanera was significant as President Claudia Sheinbaum responded directly to U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday spoke — once again — about the possibility of U.S. forces taking action against Mexican cartels in Mexico.

Mexico’s security relationship with the United States is currently strained due to the revelation that U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents allegedly participated in a drug lab raid last month alongside Chihuahua State Investigation Agency personnel.

Also of note at the Thursday morning press conference was Sheinbaum’s denial that her government is protecting Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya from drug trafficking allegations in the United States.

In addition, the president revealed that another high-ranking member of her government has resigned.

There have recently been a number of personnel changes in the Sheinbaum administration, following the resignations of various officials including Juan Ramón de la Fuente, who served as foreign affairs minister until last month, and Ariadna Montiel, who stepped down as welfare minister to become president of the Morena party.

Sheinbaum responds to Trump

Sheinbaum acknowledged that Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would take action against cartels in Mexico if the Mexican government doesn’t do so itself.

The U.S. president made the remark at a military Mother’s Day event.

“Drugs coming in by sea are down 97% and now we’ve started the land force which is much easier and you’ll hear some complaints from some people, like representatives in Mexico and other places, but if they’re not going to do the job we’re going to do the job and they understand that,” he said.

Trump’s comment came 17 days after two CIA agents were killed in a car accident in Chihuahua after they and two other CIA officers allegedly participated in a drug lab raid in the northern border state.

On Thursday morning, Sheinbaum said it wasn’t the first time that Trump had made such a statement, and indicated that she was not overly concerned by it “because we are acting” against cartels and drug trafficking.

🔴#Ahora | “Si no van a hacer el trabajo, nosotros lo haremos”, dice Donald Trump sobre el combate al narcotráfico.

El presidente de EU reafirmó que enfrentará el tráfico de drogas con fuerza terrestre, lo que provocará “quejas” de algunas personas de México y otros lugares.… pic.twitter.com/SY0v0mFA1S

— Azucena Uresti (@azucenau) May 6, 2026

“There is a reduction of almost 50% in homicides,” she said, apparently referring to the decline in murders in recent months compared to September 2024, the final month of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidency.

Sheinbaum also said that 2,500 clandestine drug laboratories have been dismantled during her presidency, authorities have arrested alleged criminals (with “high-impact” arrests numbering in the tens of thousands, according to Mexico’s security minister) and the quantity of fentanyl crossing into the United States from Mexico has declined (based on U.S. data showing a reduction in fentanyl seizures).

The president has previously ruled out the possibility that the United States government will use the U.S. military to combat Mexican cartels in Mexico, including after Trump said in January that the U.S. would start “hitting” cartels on land.

Sheinbaum has declined offers from Trump to send the U.S. military into Mexico to combat Mexican cartels, six of which were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government last year.

Sheinbaum rejects claim by Chihuahua governor that government is protecting Rocha 

A reporter asked the president about Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos’ remark that she is being criticized for dismantling a drug lab in an operation in which CIA personnel allegedly participated while Sinaloa Governor Rúben Rocha Moya — who is currently on leave — is being protected by the federal government after the U.S. Justice Department accused him of drug trafficking and requested his arrest and extradition.

“What she says is false,” said Sheinbaum, who has argued that the published indictment against Rocha and nine other current and former Sinaloa-based officials lacks hard proof.

She went on to say that “no one is pursued [legally] if there is no proof” against him or her.

US indictment of Sinaloan governor lacks proof, Sheinbaum says: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

“What there is in Chihuahua is collaboration with the government of Mexico [but] they decided to collaborate with the U.S. government outside the constitution and the National Security Law,” Sheinbaum said.

“That’s why the [Federal] Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation,” she said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Tatiana Clouthier resigns from federal government to pursue NL governorship 

Sheinbaum announced that Tatiana Clouthier, a former federal economy minister, had resigned as head of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad.

“She did an extraordinary job,” she said, noting that Clouthier worked to support Mexicans in the United States and other parts of the world.

Now, Sheinbaum added, “she wants to go and work in Nuevo León.”

“Remember that I said that everyone [in the federal government] who wants to compete in the 2027 elections has to leave their posts,” she said.

Clouthier revealed in March that she would seek to represent the Morena party at the 2027 gubernatorial election in the northern state of Nuevo León. The Sinaloa-born daughter of 1988 presidential candidate Manuel Clouthier will compete against a number of other people for the Morena candidacy in Nuevo León.

The current governor of the state is Samuel García, who represents the Citizens Movement party.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)