Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum displayed a fabricated image of Ryan Wedding to journalists on Monday, asserting it as proof that the suspected drug lord had willingly surrendered. The image, created using artificial intelligence, was shared on an Instagram account linked to Wedding that was discredited recently.
During a press briefing in Mexico City, Sheinbaum emphasized that Wedding had turned himself in at the U.S. embassy and refuted claims of U.S. authorities operating within Mexican territory. She referenced an Instagram post allegedly from Wedding’s “representative,” stating his decision to surrender after seeking assurances of a fair process.
The image in question was uploaded to the Instagram account “bossryanw,” which was previously flagged by CBC News for featuring AI-generated images associated with Wedding. Following scrutiny, all other images were removed, leaving only the AI-generated photo depicting Wedding at the U.S. Embassy.
Accused of orchestrating a criminal network responsible for trafficking large quantities of cocaine into the U.S. and Canada, Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, was apprehended last week and transported to California to face federal charges, including murder.
Mexican Attorney-General Ernestina Godoy Ramos labeled Wedding a significant logistics operative linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, facilitating the widespread distribution of drugs in North America. Wedding pleaded not guilty to the charges in a California court appearance, refuting claims of voluntary surrender propagated by Mexican authorities.
The release of an AI-generated image purportedly showing Wedding posing outside the U.S. Embassy raised doubts due to discrepancies observed in the image, including ongoing renovations at the embassy and anomalies in the man’s attire. Sheinbaum’s office declined to comment on the utilization of the AI-generated image, while a spokesperson for Mexican Security Minister Omar García Harfuch refrained from providing further details.
The contrasting narratives offered by U.S. and Mexican officials regarding Wedding’s arrest underscore the complexity of the situation, with differing accounts of the events leading up to Wedding’s capture. Despite assertions of no joint operations in Mexico, Sheinbaum acknowledged the potential for Mexican law enforcement to act on intelligence from U.S. authorities in pursuing suspects wanted in the U.S.