In the wake of the controversial extradition and release of Mexico’s former Secretary of Defense who faced drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court, Mexico City now requests the return of the former leader of federal police.
Mexico’s foreign relations ministry recently filed an extradition request for former Public Security Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna, who is currently in a U.S. jail facing drug conspiracy charges in connection with the Sinaloa Cartel. According to El Universal, the extradition request came on November 27. Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for the charge of illicit enrichment as well.
Garcia Luna served as the head of Mexico’s Federal Investigation Agency from 2001 to 2005. He then worked under President Felipe Calderon from 2006 to 2012 as secretary of public security. U.S. prosecutors claim that since 2001, Garcia Luna collaborated with organized crime figures and the Sinaloa Cartel received protection, sensitive intelligence, and targeted police actions against rivals in exchange for substantial bribes. He has been in a U.S. jail since late 2019. Garcia Luna’s arrest generated controversy in Mexico since it indicated widespread corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement.
The extradition request comes soon after Mexico City was able to strong-arm the U.S. into dropping all charges and extraditing former Secretary of Defense Salvador Cienfuegos. He was immediately released upon his return. Cienfuegos faced drug trafficking and conspiracy charges for allegedly working with a faction of the Beltran Leyva Cartel. Just like with Garcia Luna, Cienfuegos was accused of protecting the cartel, leaking information, providing safe passage, and targeting rivals. Cienfuegos’ arrest put a cloud over Mexico’s military apparatus at a time when President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador relies on it for many of his projects, including security and infrastructure construction.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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