Chemistry Students Do Not Produce Fentanyl in Mexico: President Sheinbaum
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Dic. 2, 2024. X/ @azucenau
December 2, 2024 Hour: 12:50 pm
‘I asked during the cabinet meeting today, and there is no information about this,’ she said.
On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum denied allegations reported by The New York Times that Mexican university chemistry students are producing fentanyl for the Sinaloa Cartel.
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“The New York Times’ claim that young Mexican chemistry students are developing drugs does not necessarily occur. This began elsewhere, and as far as I know, from what I’ve seen, the only reference I have come across is a U.S. television series,” Sheinbaum stated.
On Sunday, the U.S. outlet published an article alleging that the Sinaloa Cartel has recruited chemistry students and teachers to produce fentanyl and precursor chemicals in its laboratories.
According to The New York Times, students in Sinaloa, a state in northwestern Mexico, are allegedly paid up to US$1,000 a month to create more potent fentanyl and to find substitutes for chemical precursors sourced from Asia.
However, Sheinbaum suggested the report might have been inspired by Breaking Bad, in which Bryan Cranston plays Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who manufactures drugs after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“I asked during the cabinet meeting today, and there’s no information about this. Yesterday, I spoke with the Social Communication Coordinator about this because there’s a series—set in New Mexico—that’s quite famous and has won many awards. It features a chemistry teacher in the United States and glamorizes this,” she remarked.
The article comes amid increasing pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for Mexico to address fentanyl trafficking, including threats of 25% tariffs over the issue and migration concerns.
“As documented, the U.S. opioid consumption crisis is a result of pharmaceutical companies. In Mexico, we are renewing our entire campaign against drug addiction, particularly fentanyl, because fortunately, we don’t yet have a widespread opioid addiction problem leading to overdose deaths. That’s a problem the United States and Canada are facing,” Sheinbaum stated.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
