Businessman and owner of X Elon Musk launched a direct criticism against Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum by stating that she "only repeats what her bosses from the cartel tell her." This message went viral and heightened political tension in the country, which is still reeling from the violence following the death of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho.' Musk's post was a response to a clip from last November in which Sheinbaum defended her security strategy and argued that "returning to the war on drugs is not an option." For millions of Mexicans, this debate is not ideological. It's a matter of daily survival: being able to travel on roads without encountering blockades, running a business without paying extortion, or sending a child to school without fear of being caught in a crossfire. In this context, Musk's words are seen as a mix of political pressure and an internal message for U.S. voters. This is compounded by the recent operation that led to El Mencho's capture, which sparked a wave of violence across the country, forcing the government to deploy massive federal forces. President Sheinbaum had previously stated that a policy of open confrontation is outside the legal framework and insisted on an approach based on law, institutional strengthening, and the search for 'peace' over 'war.' However, instead of debating security models, Musk opted for a personal attack and a corporate metaphor, comparing the pressure from organized crime to a 'performance improvement plan' (PIP), suggesting that the punishment for 'disobeying' a cartel would be far worse than any workplace sanction. Despite this, the Executive branch insists that it is not about returning to an 'indiscriminate war,' but about acting with intelligence, legality, and selective force when necessary. This episode is happening in a vacuum. It exploits a deep social wound: the feeling that organized crime not only challenges the state but, in some territories, replaces it. Musk's comment struck a nerve because it highlights this reality. The controversy is fueled by immediate context: the operation that ended with El Mencho's capture led to violent reactions across the country, with blockades, fires, and attacks, forcing a massive federal deployment. And in this climate, the lingering question is not just what Musk meant, but how deep the challenge is for Sheinbaum: governing with external pressure, internal violence, and a criminal landscape that does not surrender to a tweet or an operation.
