Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that her phone was hacked after the extradition of 29 Mexican drug lords to the United States. She made this confirmation during a morning press conference, acknowledging the cyberattack that took place after the narcotraffickers were handed over to U.S. authorities. Sheinbaum explained that the phone involved was not for personal use but was one she had used during her 2024 presidential campaign, a number still in circulation with several local contacts.
The hacking incident was first reported by The New York Times, which highlighted how Sheinbaum’s phone was compromised after the extradition in late February. The event occurred amid growing tensions between Mexico and the U.S., partly due to disputes over the increase in tariffs. Sheinbaum confirmed that her phone was intercepted soon after the drug leaders’ transfer, verifying reports from multiple sources familiar with the situation.
During her explanation, Sheinbaum clarified that the hack only affected an older phone, which she had used while serving as mayor of Mexico City.
The phone was a gift from the governor of Campeche, Layda Sansores, in 2008, after Sheinbaum experienced issues with her prepaid phone, which lacked sufficient communication capabilities. Although Sheinbaum no longer used the number personally, she had kept it as a way to maintain contact with the public, especially from the Tlalpan area.
Sheinbaum also revealed that the cyberattack had affected an alternate email account, though she was unaware of who had disclosed the information.
In response to the breach, Apple immediately contacted Mexico’s Digital Transformation Agency, which launched an investigation and took appropriate action. Authorities continue to investigate the attack, while also strengthening the cybersecurity measures in place within the President’s office. The Mexican government remains focused on identifying the perpetrators behind the incident.
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