Mexico stunned by L.A. arrest of former defense chief allegedly on drug cartel’s payroll
4 years, 2 months ago

Mexico stunned by L.A. arrest of former defense chief allegedly on drug cartel’s payroll

LA Times  

Retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, former defense minister, was arrested Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport on federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. In 2016, he denounced traffickers who had ambushed a military convoy, killing six soldiers, as “sick, insane beasts.” Now Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda — who served as defense minister from 2012 to 2018 under then-President Enrique Peña Nieto — stands accused of helping a Mexican drug cartel smuggle “thousands of kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana” into the United States, according to court documents unsealed Friday. He allegedly took bribes to allow the H-2 cartel — a spinoff of what is known in Mexico as the Beltrán Leyva cartel — “to operate with impunity in Mexico.” U.S. prosecutors said Cienfuegos used his position to spare the cartel from enforcement operations, facilitate maritime transportation for drug shipments, help expand turf and introduce gangsters to Mexican officials “willing to assist in exchange for bribes.” Evidence amassed against the former general — who was known as El Padrino, or the Godfather, according to the indictment — includes “thousands of Blackberry Messenger communications” that show direct contact between Cienfuegos and a senior cartel boss, prosecutors said in court documents. The arrest came as another former high-ranking Mexican official, Genaro García Luna, faces federal drug trafficking charges in New York.

Military Drug Trafficking New York Mexico Los Angeles Arrest García Luna López Obrador Drug Cartels Mexican Drug Cienfuegos  la  officials  chief  cienfuegos  cartel  obrador  court  stunned  mexico  defense  military  payroll  allegedly  trafficking  arrest  mexican  drug  cartels

History of this topic

Infamous Narcos drug lord released from US prison after 25 years
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Infamous Narcos drug lord released from US prison after 25 years

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Colombia drug lord …

A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say
1 month ago

A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A high-ranking leader of a Mexican drug cartel who lived in the U.S. under a phony identity after faking his own death has been arrested on federal charges, the Justice Department said Thursday. Cristian Fernando Gutierrez Ochoa — the son-in-law of the fugitive Jalisco New Generation cartel boss known as “El Mencho” — was arrested this week on …

Mexico’s ex-security czar gets 38 years for cartel bribes. Is he the first of many?
2 months, 1 week ago

Mexico’s ex-security czar gets 38 years for cartel bribes. Is he the first of many?

LA Times  

In the history of narco-corruption in Mexico, no higher-ranking official than Genaro García Luna has ever faced justice in the United States. “You cannot parade this series of awards… it doesn’t wash, it doesn’t add up.” Cogan, who also presided over the case of El Chapo, told the former security chief: “You have the same kind of thuggishness as El …

Mexican president calls on ex-security secretary to show proof of alleged cartel ties
3 months ago

Mexican president calls on ex-security secretary to show proof of alleged cartel ties

The Independent  

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Mexican president responds to allegations from jailed ex-security chief: ‘Show the proof’
3 months ago

Mexican president responds to allegations from jailed ex-security chief: ‘Show the proof’

LA Times  

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has dismissed allegations from his country’s disgraced ex-security chief — jailed in the United States and facing a possible life sentence for corruption — that he has links to drug cartels. “Show the proof.” The president denied charges that surfaced in a handwritten letter from Genaro García Luna sent Tuesday by his lawyer to …

Mexican cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada pleads not guilty to US charges
3 months, 1 week ago

Mexican cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada pleads not guilty to US charges

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a powerful leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, pleaded not guilty Friday in a U.S. drug trafficking case that accuses him of engaging in murder plots and ordering torture. Sought by U.S. law enforcement for more than two decades, Zambada has been in U.S. custody since July 25, when he landed in a private …

Longtime Mexican drug cartel leader set to be arraigned in New York
3 months, 1 week ago

Longtime Mexican drug cartel leader set to be arraigned in New York

The Independent  

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Mexican drug cartel leader will be transferred from Texas to New York
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Mexican drug cartel leader will be transferred from Texas to New York

Associated Press  

EL PASO, Texas — A federal judge on Friday said that a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who was arrested over the summer in the U.S. can be transferred from Texas to New York to face charges there. Zambada, 76, was arrested in July along with Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of notorious drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán,” after …

Mexico to bring charges against capo, not for drugs, but for turning over another drug lord to US
4 months ago

Mexico to bring charges against capo, not for drugs, but for turning over another drug lord to US

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — The strange saga of how two Mexican drug lords were detained after landing in a plane in the United States in July just got stranger. The Mexican government now says it is bringing charges against Joaquín Guzmán López, but not because he was a leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel founded by his father, Joaquín “El Chapo” …

US prosecutors aim to try Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York, then in Texas
4 months, 1 week ago

US prosecutors aim to try Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada in New York, then in Texas

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A Mexican drug lord who was arrested in the U.S. could be headed to trial in New York City, after prosecutors filed a request Thursday to move him from Texas. Federal prosecutors in Texas asked a court Thursday to hold a hearing to take the procedural steps needed to move him to the New York jurisdiction that …

Mexican prosecutors consider treason charges after US jails drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada
4 months, 1 week ago

Mexican prosecutors consider treason charges after US jails drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — The United States managed to arrest Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord, but Mexican prosecutors — and the president — now say they are considering bringing treason charges against those who handed him over. U.S. officials say Joaquín Guzmán López — a son of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán — flew to the United States to turn …

Mexican prosecutors consider treason charges after US jails drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada
4 months, 1 week ago

Mexican prosecutors consider treason charges after US jails drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. U.S. officials say Joaquín Guzmán …

Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo' Zambada on US capture: Was ambushed, kidnapped
4 months, 1 week ago

Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo' Zambada on US capture: Was ambushed, kidnapped

India Today  

Mexican drug cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada said he was ambushed and kidnapped when he thought he was going to meet the governor of the northern state of Sinaloa, then was taken against his will to the US, according to a letter released on Saturday by his lawyer. In the two-page letter, Zambada said fellow drug lord Joaquin Guzman …

Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada says he was ambushed and kidnapped before being taken to the US
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada says he was ambushed and kidnapped before being taken to the US

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — Mexican drug cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada said he was ambushed and kidnapped when he thought he was going to meet the governor of the northern state of Sinaloa, then was taken against his will to the United States, according to a letter released Saturday by his lawyer. In the two-page letter, Zambada said fellow drug …

Mexican drug cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada makes a court appearance in Texas
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Mexican drug cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada makes a court appearance in Texas

Associated Press  

EL PASO, Texas — A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader on Thursday made his second appearance in federal court in Texas after being taken into U.S. custody last week. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, 76, used a wheelchair for the hearing before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone in El Paso. Zambada, the longtime leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, eluded authorities for …

Why Mexico was in the dark about the arrest of top Sinaloa cartel leaders
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Why Mexico was in the dark about the arrest of top Sinaloa cartel leaders

LA Times  

Days after the surprise arrest on U.S. soil of two of Mexico’s most wanted fugitives, the details of what exactly transpired remain murky. “We need them to tell the truth.” The president has come under heavy criticism for being blindsided by the capture of Sinaloa cartel leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of notorious …

Son of drug kingpin 'El Chapo' pleads not guilty to drug trafficking charges in Chicago
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Son of drug kingpin 'El Chapo' pleads not guilty to drug trafficking charges in Chicago

The Independent  

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How Mexican Drug Lord 'El Mayo' Zambada Was Tricked Into Flying To The US?
4 months, 3 weeks ago

How Mexican Drug Lord 'El Mayo' Zambada Was Tricked Into Flying To The US?

News 18  

A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades was duped into flying into the U.S., where he was arrested alongside a son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, according to a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Upon arriving in the El Paso area, Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of notorious drug kingpin “El …

Powerful cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was lured onto airplane before arrest in US, AP source says
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Powerful cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was lured onto airplane before arrest in US, AP source says

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades was duped into flying into the U.S., where he was arrested alongside a son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, according to a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Frank Perez, a lawyer listed for Zambada, said in a message to AP that his client “did …

U.S. arrests Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo' and El Chapo's son in Texas
4 months, 4 weeks ago

U.S. arrests Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo' and El Chapo's son in Texas

The Hindu  

Mexican drug kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and the son of his former partner, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, were arrested on July 25 in El Paso, Texas, in a major coup for U.S. authorities that may also reshape the Mexican criminal landscape. Both Mr. Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of El Chapo, face multiple charges in the U.S. …

Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, notorious leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, arrested in US
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, notorious leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, arrested in US

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, …

‘El Mayo’ Zambada, historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and son of 'El Chapo' arrested in US
4 months, 4 weeks ago

‘El Mayo’ Zambada, historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and son of 'El Chapo' arrested in US

The Independent  

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'El Chapo' 's son and ‘El Mayo’ Zambada of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel arrested
4 months, 4 weeks ago

'El Chapo' 's son and ‘El Mayo’ Zambada of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel arrested

Associated Press  

AP AUDIO: US arrests 2 leaders of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel: ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and son of ‘El Chapo’ AP correspondent Norman Hall reports U.S. authorities in Texas have arrested a historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. WASHINGTON — Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another infamous cartel leader, …

Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and son of ‘El Chapo’ arrested in Texas
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and son of ‘El Chapo’ arrested in Texas

Al Jazeera  

In a major blow to the Sinaloa drug cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia and Joaquin Guzman Lopez were detained after landing in El Paso on a private plane. Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia and the son of his former partner, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, have been arrested in El Paso, Texas, in a major coup for United States …

Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo', leader of Sinaloa cartel, arrested in US
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Mexican drug lord 'El Mayo', leader of Sinaloa cartel, arrested in US

India Today  

Mexican drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and the son of his former partner, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, were arrested in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday, the US Justice Department said. "The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world," the …

Mexican cartel leader known as “El Mayo” pleads not guilty in federal court
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Mexican cartel leader known as “El Mayo” pleads not guilty in federal court

LA Times  

Soldiers patrol in Culiacan, the northern Mexico city that is the base of the Sinaloa cartel, on Oct. 18, 2019. Two of Mexico’s most powerful drug traffickers — one a longtime partner of the Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the other his son — were taken into U.S. custody on Thursday afternoon, a pair of arrests likely to …

Mexican president suggests U.S. talks on migration and drugs may suffer after drug money allegations
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Mexican president suggests U.S. talks on migration and drugs may suffer after drug money allegations

LA Times  

Mexico’s president suggested Thursday that talks with the U.S. government on migration and drug trafficking could suffer after media reports of a U.S. investigation into alleged drug money donations for his 2006 campaign. “I don’t accept this, what I want is for the U.S. government to take a stand,” López Obrador said at his daily morning press briefing. López Obrador …

Mexico celebrates ex-defense chief once arrested at LAX on suspicion of drug smuggling
1 year, 2 months ago

Mexico celebrates ex-defense chief once arrested at LAX on suspicion of drug smuggling

LA Times  

Former Mexican Defense Secretary Salvador Cienfuegos‘s 2020 arrest in the U.S. on suspicion of drug smuggling strained relations between the two countries. A former Mexican defense secretary whose arrest in the U.S. in 2020 on suspicion of drug smuggling strained relations between the two countries was celebrated Wednesday with an honorary military decoration. In October 2020, Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos was …

Mexico extradites Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Sinaloa cartel leader ‘El Chapo,’ to U.S.
1 year, 3 months ago

Mexico extradites Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Sinaloa cartel leader ‘El Chapo,’ to U.S.

LA Times  

Ovidio Guzmán López, seen being detained in Culiacán, Mexico, in 2019, has been extradited to the United States to to face drug trafficking charges, according to U.S. Atty. Mexico has extradited Ovidio Guzmán López, a son of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, to the United States to face drug trafficking charges, U.S. Atty. Mexican security forces captured …

‘El Chapo’ sons send Mexico cartel’s cheap fentanyl into U.S., indictment says
1 year, 7 months ago

‘El Chapo’ sons send Mexico cartel’s cheap fentanyl into U.S., indictment says

LA Times  

Ovidio Guzmán López is shown being detained by Mexican authorities in 2019. With Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán serving a life sentence, his sons steered the family business into fentanyl, establishing a network of labs churning out massive quantities of the cheap, deadly drug that they smuggled into the U.S., prosecutors revealed in a recent indictment. Although Guzmán’s …

Mexico’s ex-public security chief convicted in US drug case
1 year, 10 months ago

Mexico’s ex-public security chief convicted in US drug case

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A former Mexican presidential cabinet member was convicted in the U.S. on Tuesday of taking massive bribes to protect the violent drug cartels he was tasked with combating. Current Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has railed throughout the trial against ex-President Felipe Calderón’s administration for, at a minimum, putting García Luna in charge of Mexico’s security. …

Mexico’s former public security chief convicted in US drug case
1 year, 10 months ago

Mexico’s former public security chief convicted in US drug case

Al Jazeera  

Genaro Garcia Luna was found guilty of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from drug-trafficking cartels in Mexico. Under tight security, an anonymous New York federal court jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict in the drug-trafficking case against Mexico’s former Security of Public Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna. A roster of ex-smugglers and former Mexican officials testified that …

Mexico’s former drug czar found guilty of taking payoffs to protect cartels
1 year, 10 months ago

Mexico’s former drug czar found guilty of taking payoffs to protect cartels

LA Times  

Mexico’s former top law enforcement official — once tasked with fighting the country’s drug cartels — was convicted in New York on Tuesday of taking millions of dollars in bribes from traffickers. Genaro García Luna, who headed Mexico’s federal police before serving as the nation’s secretary of public security more than a decade ago, was found guilty of cooperating with …

He was the head of Mexico's FBI. Now he's on trial for accepting cartel bribes
1 year, 10 months ago

He was the head of Mexico's FBI. Now he's on trial for accepting cartel bribes

NPR  

He was the head of Mexico's FBI. Now he's on trial for accepting cartel bribes Enlarge this image toggle caption Marco Ugarte/AP Marco Ugarte/AP As U.S. prosecutors rest their case against Mexico's former top cop during a trial in New York City, another question is in play: Are U.S. efforts to stem the flow of deadly Fentanyl from Mexico into …

DEA Mexico chief quietly ousted over ties to drug lawyers
1 year, 10 months ago

DEA Mexico chief quietly ousted over ties to drug lawyers

Associated Press  

MIAMI — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration quietly ousted its former top official in Mexico last year over improper contact with lawyers for narcotraffickers, an embarrassing end to a brief tenure marked by deteriorating cooperation between the countries and a record flow of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl across the border. Nicholas Palmeri’s socializing and vacationing with Miami drug lawyers, detailed …

Mexico’s former safety chief goes on trial in US drug case
1 year, 11 months ago

Mexico’s former safety chief goes on trial in US drug case

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Shielded by anonymity and extra security, jurors got their first look Monday at a rare U.S. trial of a former cabinet-level Mexican official charged with taking bribes to aid drug traffickers he was supposed to be neutralizing. García Luna’s lead lawyer, César de Castro, told jurors that the government’s case rested on “rumors, speculation and the words …

Mexico’s former top cop took drug cartel bribes, prosecutors say in New York trial
1 year, 11 months ago

Mexico’s former top cop took drug cartel bribes, prosecutors say in New York trial

LA Times  

Genaro García Luna, shown in 2010 when he was Mexico’s secretary of public safety, is on trial in New York on federal drug trafficking charges. García Luna’s lead lawyer, César de Castro, told jurors that the government’s case rested on “rumors, speculation and the words of some of the biggest criminals in the world.” “No money, no photos, no video, …

Mexico’s former top cop on trial in New York, accused of working for Sinaloa cartel
1 year, 11 months ago

Mexico’s former top cop on trial in New York, accused of working for Sinaloa cartel

LA Times  

Former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, shown in 2010, is on trial in the U.S. on federal charges of conspiring to traffic cocaine. García Luna frequently met with top U.S. security officials while in office and was often portrayed as the public face of Mexico’s drug war. “We knew Chapo was dirty,” Soriano said, “but Chapo is …

Why the arrest of cartel kingpins like Ovidio Guzman fuels drug violence in Mexico
1 year, 11 months ago

Why the arrest of cartel kingpins like Ovidio Guzman fuels drug violence in Mexico

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Thursday’s arrest of Ovidio “El Raton” Guzman, son …

Mexico arrests capo Ovidio Guzman, son of 'El Chapo,' sources say
1 year, 11 months ago

Mexico arrests capo Ovidio Guzman, son of 'El Chapo,' sources say

India Today  

Mexican capo Ovidio Guzman, the son of incarcerated kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, has been arrested by Mexican authorities, four officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Ovidio was briefly detained in the northern state of Sinaloa in October 2019 by security forces, but then quickly released to avoid violent retribution from his drug gang. A Mexican air …

Cartel lays siege to Mexican city after recapture of the son of ‘El Chapo’
1 year, 11 months ago

Cartel lays siege to Mexican city after recapture of the son of ‘El Chapo’

LA Times  

Ovidio Guzmán, a leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, is taken into custody by Mexican security forces in 2019. Armed men took hostages, burned vehicles and stormed an airport in northern Mexico on Thursday after federal forces captured Ovidio Guzmán, one of the world’s most wanted cartel leaders and the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Even …

Mexico arrests drug lord Caro Quintero, US calls for extradition
2 years, 5 months ago

Mexico arrests drug lord Caro Quintero, US calls for extradition

Al Jazeera  

Caro Quintero was previously jailed for the murder of a US anti-drugs agent, and was on the FBI’s ’10 Most Wanted’ list. Mexico’s navy has announced the capture of notorious drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, convicted for the murder and torture of an American anti-narcotics agent in 1985, in a major win for law enforcement in the two countries. The …

Mexico charges 7 in ‘Fast and Furious’ weapons trafficking
2 years, 11 months ago

Mexico charges 7 in ‘Fast and Furious’ weapons trafficking

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — Mexican prosecutors said Sunday they have charged seven people, including former top officials, in the “Fast and Furious” weapons trafficking scandal. Mexico says Mexican drug gangs and former officials also participated in or failed to stop the weapons trafficking. Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said Sunday it has lodged weapons trafficking charges against seven people in the more-than-decade-old …

US arrests wife of Mexico cartel chief El Chapo on drug charges
3 years, 10 months ago

US arrests wife of Mexico cartel chief El Chapo on drug charges

Hindustan Times  

The wife of Mexican drug cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was arrested and charged in the United States on Monday with helping her husband continue to run his drug trafficking cartel while he was behind bars. Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, a regular attendee at her husband's high-profile US trial two years ago where he was convicted of trafficking tons …

U.S. rebukes Mexico for releasing evidence in drug case against former defense minister
3 years, 11 months ago

U.S. rebukes Mexico for releasing evidence in drug case against former defense minister

LA Times  

Retired Mexican Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos was arrested in the U.S. on drug charges last year, but the case was dropped and he was returned to Mexico, presumably to face charges there. On Friday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that Cienfuegos would not face charges in Mexico and accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration of fabricating a case against …

Mexico clears ex-defense secretary of all US accusations
3 years, 11 months ago

Mexico clears ex-defense secretary of all US accusations

Associated Press  

MEXICO CITY — Mexican prosecutors on Thursday declared completely unfounded the U.S. case against a former defense secretary arrested on drug charges in the United States and then returned under pressure from the Mexican government. In a surprisingly quick process, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office announced that Cienfuegos presented evidence in five days that it said completely disproved what it described …

Mexican president accuses U.S. of fabricating drug case against ex-defense chief
3 years, 11 months ago

Mexican president accuses U.S. of fabricating drug case against ex-defense chief

LA Times  

In a move certain to escalate tensions with the United States, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration of fabricating a case against a former Mexican defense minister who was arrested on drug trafficking charges at Los Angeles International Airport last year. “Without support, without proof?” Saying it would bolster his claims, López Obrador …

Mexico says won’t pursue charges against ex-defence minister
3 years, 11 months ago

Mexico says won’t pursue charges against ex-defence minister

Al Jazeera  

Attorney general says no evidence that Salvador Cienfuegos, previously arrested in the US, collaborated with a major drug cartel. Mexico will not pursue criminal charges against Salvador Cienfuegos, the attorney general’s office said in a statement on Thursday, despite accusations by prosecutors in the United States that the former defence minister had collaborated with a major drug cartel. Cienfuegos, a …

Mexico exonerates ex-defense chief implicated in scrapped U.S. drug prosecution
3 years, 11 months ago

Mexico exonerates ex-defense chief implicated in scrapped U.S. drug prosecution

LA Times  

Defense Secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos, now retired, and Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto, right, during an Independence Day parade in 2016 in Mexico City. The Mexican attorney general’s office said it had found no proof to sustain U.S. allegations against retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, 72, who served as defense chief from 2012 to 2018 in the administration of ex-President …

Former Mexican defense chief will return home a free man after U.S. drops drug charges
4 years, 1 month ago

Former Mexican defense chief will return home a free man after U.S. drops drug charges

LA Times  

Less than a week after a former Mexican defense secretary was arrested on drug trafficking charges at Los Angeles International Airport last month, Mexican authorities summoned the U.S. ambassador to express their dismay — an action followed by a formal note of protest to Washington. In explaining the extraordinary decision to suddenly end a multiyear investigation, U.S. authorities said in …

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