Mexico accuses US of political interference as former president’s son alleges visa revocation
The son of Mexico’s former president has publicly accused the United States of revoking his visa in a politically motivated act, escalating tensions amid a broader crackdown on Mexican officials with alleged cartel ties.
Andres Manuel Lopez Beltran, son of former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has accused the United States of revoking his visa in a politically motivated act. In a public letter addressed to US President Donald Trump and posted on social media late on Thursday, Lopez Beltran alleged that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his deputy, Christopher Landau, ordered the revocation without evidence of any criminal or immoral conduct.
The 39-year-old politician, who recently stepped down from the leadership of the left-wing Morena party, described the action as a “crude and perverse act”. He accused US officials of falsely labelling Mexican politicians as “communists”, “threats to US security” or “narco-terrorists”, arguing there was no justification for such an “arrogant action”. The US State Department has not publicly responded to or confirmed the claim.
The allegation arises within a broader US crackdown on Mexican politicians with alleged ties to drug cartels, a policy the Trump administration characterises as a necessary security measure. Several Mexican officials across the political spectrum have had their visas cancelled in this context. Lopez Beltran is expected to run for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies next year, having previously focused on his chocolate business before entering party leadership in September 2024.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the visa revocation as interference in Mexican politics. At a morning news briefing on Friday, Sheinbaum stated she was unaware of any investigations by Mexican prosecutors into Lopez Beltran and characterised the US action as a breach of sovereignty. She has maintained a careful diplomatic line, pledging cooperation on cross-border crime while rejecting US military action on Mexican soil and defending Mexican judicial independence.
Tensions have previously flared over similar allegations. In April, Sheinbaum decried the US decision to charge Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha with drug trafficking and weapons-related offences, arguing the indictment lacked evidence. Rocha announced a temporary leave of absence in May to defend himself against charges linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the US considers a foreign terrorist organisation.
