United States receives extradition of 26 cartel members from Mexico.
Mexico Extradites 26 Cartel Members to the United States
In a significant move, Mexico has extradited 26 high-ranking members of key Mexican drug trafficking organizations to the United States. These individuals, accused of narcotics smuggling, violent crime, and bringing drugs and violence to the US, include Abigael González Valencia, a leader of Los Cuinis, and Roberto Salazar, wanted for involvement in the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy.
The extraditions took place just days before the entry into force of US tariffs of 25% on Mexican imports, which were suspended by Trump for negotiations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum has shown greater willingness to strengthen cooperation with Washington in the field of security.
The CJNG, one of the extradited cartels, is notorious for extreme violence, homicides, torture, and corruption. The Trump administration has prioritized the disruption of dangerous drug cartels and has designated the CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization. The leader of CJNG, Nemesio Ruben "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, is the brother-in-law of Abigael Gonzalez Valencia.
Los Cuinis, a group linked to the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), is also among the extradited cartels. The CJNG traffics hundreds of tonnes of cocaine, methamphetamines, and fentanyl to the United States and other countries.
The US Department of Justice has committed that the death penalty will not be applied in any of the cases. Sheinbaum rejected suggestions of a US military intervention, refusing to relinquish Mexico's sovereignty.
Rafael Caro Quintero, another extradited drug trafficker, is responsible for the murder of a DEA agent in 1985. Abigael Gonzalez Valencia fought against extradition to the United States after his brother-in-law's arrest in Mexico in 2015. Jose Gonzalez Valencia, another leader of Los Cuinis, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in the United States for international cocaine trafficking. He was arrested in 2017 at a beach resort in Brazil under a false name.
This extradition marks a significant effort by the Trump administration to dismantle major drug cartels and curb the drug trade and related violence affecting the US. The Mexican Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Security confirmed the transfers.
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