Mexico’s federal government published confidential information shared by U.S. law enforcement as part of the investigation of that nation’s former Secretary of Defense. The U.S. Department of Justice charged the former defense secretary for allegations related to drug trafficking.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed charges against Mexican General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda in October, Breitbart Texas reported. Officials later released the general and returned him to Mexico under diplomatic pressure.
The publishing of the confidential information came just one day after Mexico announced they were not going to prosecute the cartel-linked general.
Through news releases and on social media, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) shared more than 700 pages of court documents filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in their case against General Cienfuegos. U.S. authorities investigated and charged the former Mexican secretary of defense but ultimately released under pressure from Mexico’s federal government, Breitbart Texas reported.
#FGRInforma que ha notificado a las autoridades norteamericanas su resolución de “No Ejercicio de la Acción Penal” en favor del Gral Salvador Cienfuegos.
En defensa del Estado de Derecho y la transparencia, el expediente estará a disposición mañana en https://t.co/6QSGeOXHy0 pic.twitter.com/pCh4JdZwJs— FGR México (@FGRMexico) January 16, 2021
On Thursday evening, FGR announced they would not charge Cienfuegos claiming there was no evidence of the general contacting any organized crime members or collecting any illicit bribes. By Friday morning, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration fabricated the case for political reasons.
Through a prepared statement, the U.S. Department of Justice expressed their concerns about the release of the information claiming that it was a violation of a Treaty of Mutual Legal Assistance. In the statement, the DOJ claimed the release of the confidential info called into question future sharing of information.
The DOJ claimed in their statement that the information released by Mexico’s government revealed the case against Cienfuegos was not fabricated. Officials said the case was “based on information legally gathered in the United States” and that a U.S. federal grand jury found enough evidence to charge the former Mexican Secretary of Defense.
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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