Mexico Drops Drug Case on Fmr. Secretary of Defense After Forcing Release from U.S.

Mexico’s government will not prosecute the former secretary of defense who was arrested by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration before being sent home. Mexican diplomats threatened the futures of various bilateral border security arrangements to secure his release.

On Thursday evening, Mexico’s’ Attorney General’s Office (FGR) announced it will not prosecute General Salvador Cienfuegos, the nation’s former secretary of defense, on drug trafficking and illicit moneymaking charges.

Luego de analizar los elementos probatorios enviados por las autoridades norteamericanas y los aportados por el Gral Salvador Cienfuegos; la #FGR concluyó que él no sostuvo encuentro ni comunicación con grupo delictivo alguno. Por lo que se determinó no ejercer acción penal. pic.twitter.com/x3dcPdl2oz

— FGR México (@FGRMexico) January 15, 2021

U.S. federal agents arrested Cienfuegos aka “El Padrino” or “The Godfather” on October 15, 2020, as he landed in California for vacation. He was transferred to New York where he was temporarily held without bond until his release. Court documents filed by U.S. prosecutors claim Cienfuegos was a close ally of the Beltran Leyva Cartel (“H-2”); helped move drugs; and leaked sensitive information in exchange for hefty bribes.

After the arrest, Mexico City exerted extreme political and diplomatic pressure on the U.S. Department of Justice, ultimately forcing all criminal charges to be dismissed so Mexico could separately review the case. After the dismissal in mid-November, Cienfuegos returned home and was immediately released.

Through a prepared statement, the FGR concluded that Cienfuegos had never met or communicated with organized crime figures–nor did he collect cartel bribes. The Mexican findings reach the exact opposition conclusions in contrast to allegations made by U.S. prosecutors.

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.