Cienfuegos acquittal “may be the straw that broke the camel’s back between the United States and Mexico”: former DEA agent

The former head of the Department of National Defense was extradited from the United States at the end of 2020 (Photo: Quartoscorro)

The decision taken on Thursday by the Office of the Attorney General (FGR) From Do not engage in criminal proceedings against Salvador CienfuegosFormer Minister of Defense from 2012 to 2018 of course The association with drug smuggling, It exploded Strong criticism By journalists, academics and opponents of the so-called governmentThe fourth shiftHeaded by the President of the Republic Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

However, for many of the above specialists It was not a surpriseBecause since Lopez Obrador took power He has entrusted more to the army From any other modern president; Not only security, but also infrastructure projects and even airport and train operation.

He was one of those who raised their voices about it Mike VigilFormer Director of International Operations of the US Drug Agency (Give, To abbreviate it in English). In an interview with The Associated Press, Note that acquittal Ex-President of the Mexican Army It is proof of this in the AMLO government Impunity and corruption are not combated.

Mike Vigil, former director of the DEA (Image: Mission Essential)

It was previously planned that the Mexican judiciary would not proceed in the trial of General Cienfuegos […] It will greatly contaminate the integrity of your justice system, and despite the political rhetoric calling for eliminating corruption, this is clearly not the case. The rule of law has been severely violated

A former agent with a career of 31 years and 12 of them are in MexicoAfter that, he added, both the DEA and other US security agencies They will be reluctant to act in coordination with the Mexican authorities.

It may be the last straw for the camel’s back in relation to the cooperation between the United States and Mexico in anti-drug activities

AMLO and Luis Cresencio Sandoval, current Minister of National Defense, during the morning conference this Friday, where he confirmed that there is no definitive evidence against Cienfuegos (Photo: Cuartoscuro)

In another interview with Aristegui NewsVirgil referred to the president’s statements during his Friday morning conference in which he described Drug Enforcement Administration investigations Against Cienfuegos as “unprofessionalHe even mentioned it The evidence provided by the agency is “fabricated”.

I’m very curious: What kind of investigation has the FGR conducting in a few weeks to conclude that there is no evidence against General Cienfuegos? I guarantee that if he had been tried here in the United States, he would have been convicted

Case of “godfather”

Salvador Cienfuegos was arrested in October 2020 at the airport in Angels, California, charged Participation in the international drug smuggling network. After the general was arrested, US prosecutors pointed this out They have intercepted messages From Blackberry Messenger incriminating Cienfuegos, aka “The Godfather”.

Juan Pablo Patron Sanchez, Jes Ricardo Patron Sanchez, and Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez created the Nayarit-based H-2 cartel (Image: Archive)

According to search, Cienfuegos assisted the H-2 Cartel (A man identified as Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez, who served as a lieutenant for the Beltran Leva gang) (A) Smuggling cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana While he was serving as Minister of Defense.

The intercepted messages showed that he took steps to ensure this The army took no action against this cartel And that operations were launched against rival groups in exchange for bribes.

However, a US judge in November approved the Drop the chargesIn an unusual decision, it was made after the allegation Threats from Mexican authorities That they can expel drug agents from the country.

The general was sent back to Mexico, where authorities said he would be subject to investigation and his case, which FGR has now ruled out.

In letters intercepted by the DEA, Cienfuegos has been identified as a “Godfather” (Photo: Quartoscorro)

Salvador Cienfuegos was in charge of the army during the former head of the PRI Enrique Peña Nieto. Under his leadership, the armed forces charged Human rights violationsThe worst scandal was the 2014 massacre of suspected criminals in a warehouse, known as Kasu Tlatlaya.

Cienfuegos was the highest-ranking former Mexican official to be arrested since the Texas arrest in 2019 Gennaro Garcia LunaFormer Secretary of Public Security during the presidency Felipe Calderon (2006 to 2012), who pleads not guilty Drug smuggling charges.

More on this topic:

SRE announced the Salvador Cienfuegos file

“We Dont Accept Intimidation”: AMLO’s Ten Hard Phrases After Cienfuegos Are Exonerated

Timeline of the Cienfuegos Affair, the conspiracy that sparked tension between Mexico and the United States