Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum displayed a fabricated image of Ryan Wedding during a press conference on Monday, claiming it as proof that the alleged drug lord had turned himself in willingly. The image, which CBC News confirmed was created using artificial intelligence, was shared on an Instagram account linked to Wedding that was debunked recently.
Sheinbaum attempted to diminish any notion of U.S. involvement on Mexican soil, asserting that Wedding, a Canadian fugitive, had surrendered at the U.S. embassy. The image, projected behind her, featured a caption purportedly from Wedding’s “representative,” stating his decision to surrender after seeking a fair process.
The image in question was posted on the Instagram account “bossryanw,” which has since removed all AI-generated images related to Wedding except for the one depicting him at the U.S. Embassy. The account operator failed to provide evidence of a connection to Wedding when contacted by a reporter.
Wedding, listed as one of the FBI’s most-wanted fugitives, faced charges of operating a criminal enterprise responsible for smuggling large amounts of cocaine into the U.S. and Canada. He was apprehended and transported to California for federal charges, including murder.
Mexican Attorney-General Ernestina Godoy Ramos described Wedding as a key logistics operator for the Sinaloa Cartel, facilitating drug distribution in North America. Wedding pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance in Santa Ana, Calif.
The use of the AI-generated image by Sheinbaum stirred controversy, especially as discrepancies were noted in the image, such as the ongoing renovations at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. The conflicting narratives between U.S. and Mexican officials regarding Wedding’s arrest further added to the intrigue surrounding the high-profile case.