Ni venganza ni perdón

Ni venganza ni perdón. Una amistad al filo del poder (lit. transl. "Neither revenge nor forgiveness. A friendship at the edge of power") is a 2026 non-fiction book written by the writer and lawyer Julio Scherer Ibarra in collaboration with the journalist Jorge Fernández Menéndez, who also wrote the prologue.

In the book, Scherer relates his almost thirty-year relationship with Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), who was an opposition leader for decades and later served as President of Mexico from 2018 to 2024. During his administration, Scherer became one of the most powerful persons in the country, as he served as Legal Counsel to the President from the beginning of AMLO's term until September 2021, when he resigned amid allegations of extortion and of creating an influence-peddling network. Following his resignation, according to Scherer, the Attorney General of Mexico initiated legal proceedings and media campaigns against him. In 2024, Scherer sent two letters, one to AMLO and another to his successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, stating that he would seek to clear his name.

The book recounts internal developments during the first half of AMLO's six-year term, including strategic decisions, internal conflicts, and key aspects of national politics. Among the topics addressed are the creation of the National Guard, AMLO's relationship with the Supreme Court and its then president Arturo Zaldívar, the political management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the attempted assassination attack against Omar García Harfuch, and the case of General Salvador Cienfuegos. The book also mentions and criticizes multiple politicians, arguing that they lacked the necessary expertise or relevant experience for their positions and were appointed primarily on the basis of loyalty. It also focuses on Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, a journalist and political communications strategist who has worked with the federal government since 2018, alleging that he supported a clientelist scheme for the Mexican Electricians' Union through pensions, assisted candidates during their 2024 electoral campaigns, and held meetings with Sergio Carmona, who was reportedly linked to fuel theft and organized crime.

Ni venganza ni perdón was published on 11 February 2026 in Mexico by Planeta, and received polarized reactions from politicians; with Ramírez describing it as a libelous work. Journalists have described the book as an attempt by Scherer to present his version of events. Some interpret it as an effort to demonstrate continued loyalty to AMLO, while others consider that it depicts him as politically manipulable.