Son of Former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Claims US Revoked His Visa in Political Move

Andres Manuel Lopez Beltran, the son of former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has publicly accused the United States of revoking his visa in a politically motivated maneuver. In an open letter addressed to US President Donald Trump and shared on social media late on Thursday, Andres Manuel Lopez Beltran alleged that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his deputy, Christopher Landau, ordered the cancellation.

"There is no reason whatsoever to justify such an arrogant action," Lopez Beltran wrote to Donald Trump, adding that the officials lack any evidence linking him to immoral or criminal acts. The US State Department has not issued a public response to the allegations.

This development aligns with a broader pattern of visa cancellations by the US targeting various Mexican officials across the political spectrum, which the administration of Donald Trump describes as a crackdown on individuals connected to drug cartels.

Who is Lopez Beltran?

The 39-year-old Lopez Beltran is a prominent political figure in Mexico who recently stepped down from his leadership role in the left-wing Morena party. His father established the Morena party in 2011 and served as Mexico's president from 2018 to 2024. Currently, fellow Morena member Claudia Sheinbaum holds the presidency, with the party maintaining strong majorities in both chambers of Mexico's Congress. Lopez Beltran is anticipated to run for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies in the upcoming year.

While he initially focused on his chocolate business rather than party politics during much of his father's presidency, Lopez Beltran was elected as Morena's secretary of organization in September 2024, shortly before his father's term ended. In his letter, he characterized the visa revocation as a crude attempt by US officials to target Mexican politicians through false labels such as "communists," "threats to US security," or "narco-terrorists."

Claudia Sheinbaum Reacts to the Letter

On Friday, Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she had no knowledge of any ongoing investigations against Lopez Beltran by Mexican prosecutors. "This amounts to interference in Mexican politics," she declared during her morning news briefing, noting she saw no other justification for the action.

While Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to cooperate with the hardline cross-border crime strategies of Donald Trump's administration, she has consistently vowed to defend Mexico's sovereignty. She has welcomed collaboration with US intelligence agencies but reportedly declined offers for US military intervention within Mexico. Last month, she also dismissed claims by the head of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regarding alleged ties between her government and organized crime.

Additionally, Claudia Sheinbaum previously criticized the US decision in April to file drug trafficking and weapons charges against Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha, another Morena party official, arguing that the indictment lacked proper evidence. Ruben Rocha announced in May that he would temporarily step away from his gubernatorial duties to address the accusations, which stem from allegations that his campaign collaborated with the Sinaloa Cartel.