Mexican president accuses El Chapo's American lawyer of defamation on cartels

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the defamation lawsuit against El Chapo's American lawyer on Tuesday, rejecting his allegations of corruption in her administration. 

New York attorney Jeffrey Lichtman previously defended three of the cartel leader’s sons and said they could detail the government’s misconduct under her leadership. 

"Moral and political authority is required to govern Mexico, and to be worthy of our people. So, the certainty of that authority — my history speaks for me," Sheinbaum told reporters on July 15 in response to his claims, according to USA Today. 

Lichtman told the outlet her “lawsuit has no teeth” and knocked it as a “cheap effort to score political points” in a separate post on social media. 

“After the plea, I spoke up about what I considered to be absurd remarks made by the president of Mexico about not only my client but the American government for even negotiating a plea deal with him. My response triggered a hastily convened press conference by the Mexican president in which she denied none of my words but claimed I was disrespectful to her office,” he added in the statement.

“Some free advice: don’t discuss my clients in a cheap effort to score political points unless you are prepared for my unfiltered response." 

Lichtman is currently representing one of El Chapo’s sons, Ovidio Guzmán López, on federal charges. 

López pleaded guilty to murder and drug trafficking charges and is expected to help U.S. officials wage a war on narcotics, USA Today reported.