Sheinbaum Responds to 'Hondurasgate' Audio Leak, Says Foreign-Backed Smear Campaign Against Mexico 'Will Not Make a Dent'

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has dismissed the potential impact of an alleged foreign-backed disinformation campaign targeting her government after leaked audio recordings tied to the so-called "Hondurasgate" scandal surfaced in recent days.

"They may set up an office for dirty campaigns against our government in Honduras with resources from a friendly people through its government, but there will be no dent," Sheinbaum said during morning press conference. "There may be days of confusion, but if we remain true to our principles ... nobody will affect the transformation project."

The remarks were Sheinbaum's first public response to recordings published by Spanish news site Diario Red that allegedly capture conversations involving former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, current Honduran officials, and international allies discussing plans to disseminate negative information about the governments of Mexico and Colombia.

According to the reports, Hernández allegedly discussed establishing a digital media operation in the United States to publish material targeting Sheinbaum and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The operation was allegedly supported by figures linked to the Republican Party in the United States and Argentine President Javier Milei.

One alleged recording includes Hernández saying the project would focus on "some cases coming up against Mexico" and Colombia while also targeting political opponents in Honduras. Another recording allegedly references financial support from Milei and unnamed Mexican contacts.

The leaked conversations were reportedly extracted from WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram communications recorded between January and April 2026. Diario Red said the files were analyzed using forensic voice-identification software developed by Czech company Phonexia.

Sheinbaum said she had listened to some of the recordings and questioned Hernández's release from U.S. custody after his 2024 conviction on drug trafficking charges in New York.

"It's striking that Juan Orlando Hernández, who was detained and taken to the United States for drug trafficking matters, is released — though his release was never fully understood — and then these audios appear," she said.

The Mexican president also accused what she described as an "international right" linked to political groups in Spain, the United States and Argentina of coordinating online misinformation campaigns. "There is an international right wing ... that has a network for social media that is responsible, among other things, for spreading fake news," Sheinbaum said.

She argued that such campaigns were aimed at governments that "maintain their sovereignty" and "govern for the people," adding that her administration's connection with voters would shield it from political destabilization efforts.