President Claudia Sheinbaum is facing mounting pressure from the United States over alleged criminal links involving Adán Augusto López, leader of the ruling Morena party’s Senate caucus and a close political ally of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. According to media reports, U.S. officials have completed an investigation into López’s alleged involvement in illicit business networks tied to the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels.
The alleged network reportedly includes former Tabasco state officials, business figures, elected politicians, and ex-governors, with some activities linked to the Venezuelan government. The U.S. has recently doubled its reward for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, citing alleged connections to transnational criminal organizations.
Washington’s pressure follows leaked U.S. military planning discussions about potential cross-border operations targeting Mexican cartels. Analysts say the leaks were intended to measure public reaction and signal dissatisfaction with what they view as Sheinbaum’s reluctance to investigate political figures accused by U.S. authorities.
Sheinbaum has so far denied that there are ongoing investigations in Mexico against these officials, while balancing political pressure from López Obrador, who continues to back López. U.S. officials have reportedly warned that failure to act could lead the Department of Justice to seek indictments and extraditions of implicated figures.
