Former Mexican First Lady Insults Current Mexican President in Online Birthday Message

Amongst the many well-wishes to Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, as she celebrated her 63rd birthday, a message from Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, wife of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, stood out.

To congratulate Sheinbaum on her birthday Tuesday, Gutiérrez Müller posted on Facebook, "Many congratulations to our president on her birthday, from the López Gutiérrez family. May good fortune fill her day, may health not leave her side, and may intelligence, which she does not have much, continue to guide her in leading the destiny of our beloved Mexico."

The birthday message incident quickly became a trending topic under hashtags like #ClaudiaSheinbaum, #BeatrizGutiérrez, and #CumpleañosClaudia. The confusion centered on the Spanish wording used: "Que la inteligencia, que no le sobra, siga siendo su guía..." The literal translation of "que no le sobra" is "which she does not have in excess," a phrase that, in Spanish, often carries the connotation of having something barely sufficient or even lacking.

At the time of publication, the post remains visible on her Facebook page, continuing to attract comments and reactions. President Sheinbaum, however, addressed the controversy with grace. In a press conference, she stated, "I love Beatriz a lot. She is an extraordinary woman, intelligent and very cultured. I appreciated her message."

Gutiérrez Müller reposted Sheinbaum's response with the caption, "I also love our President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo very much!" While both responses indicate that there is nothing but love between the two political figures, many online remain unconvinced. Social media users quickly reacted to Gutiérrez Müller's initial message, with some questioning the intent behind the wording and others attributing it to a grammatical misstep.

Many have highlighted the implausibility of a published author like Gutiérrez Müllerto make such a basic grammatical mistake. Journalist Enrique Muñoz (@enriquemunozFM) wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that "If the president 'doesn't have much' intelligence, does the writer Gutiérrez Muller mean to say she's lacking it?"

And Facebook user Miguel Angel Marin Avila wrote, "What is this about the 'intelligence,' which she doesn't have much? I wish our president Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo a happy birthday. May she continue to govern with that love for the people of Mexico and with her great intelligence. God bless her."

Originally published on Latin Times