President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo affirmed this Thursday during her morning press conference that the detention of former official Simón Levy in Portugal is not the result of a 'political matter,' but rather of arrest warrants issued against him several years ago. 'It has nothing to do with a political issue or anything like that,' she stated. Sheinbaum even assured that as of yesterday, she was unaware of the existence of these warrants. According to her explanation, both arrest warrants were issued by the Attorney General's Office for Justice of Mexico City: the first was filed by a private individual for assault; the second is the result of building extra floors in a construction project and an environmental violation due to irregularities. These warrants resulted in the issuance of a Red Notice by Interpol by the Attorney General's Office of the Republic (FGR). It is this notice that led to his detention upon his arrival in Portugal. However, because he holds a European passport, as Sheinbaum explained, he was released. Even so, she explained that he cannot leave the country while the process for his case is being clarified. 'In reality, he was lying when he said he was not detained. The truth is that he was not in Portugal, but in Washington,' she said regarding Levy's claims that he was not arrested. Finally, the head of state also projected the translation of the detention notice sent by Portugal: 'By means of the present email, it is informed that citizen Simón N. was detained on October 28, 2025, upon entering national territory by virtue of an international arrest warrant, having been presented before the Court of Appeal of Lisbon today (yesterday, October 29)'
