Page 7 - aruba-today-20210116

A7
WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 January 2021
Mexico president accuses DEA of fabricating general’s case

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN in Los Angeles in October,
and MARK STEVENSON after he was secretly in-
Associated Press dicted by a federal grand
MEXICO CITY (AP) — One jury in New York in 2019. He
day after Mexico’s Attor- was accused of conspiring
ney General’s Office an- with the H-2 cartel in Mex-
nounced it was dropping ico to smuggle thousands
the drug trafficking case of kilos of cocaine, heroin,
against its former defense methamphetamine and
secretary, Mexico Presi- marijuana while he was de-
dent Andrés Manuel López fense secretary from 2012
Obrador said Friday that to 2018.
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Prosecutors said intercept-
Administration had “fab- ed messages showed that
ricated” the accusations Cienfuegos accepted
against retired Gen. Salva- bribes in exchange for en-
dor Cienfuegos. suring the military did not
López Obrador said there take action against the
was a lack of professional- cartel and that operations
ism in the U.S. investigation were initiated against its ri-
and suggested that there vals. He was also accused
could have been political of introducing cartel lead-
motivations behind U.S. ers to other corrupt Mexi-
authorities’ arrest of Cien- can officials.
fuegos at Los Angeles Inter- Under the pressure of Mex-
national Airport in October, ico’s implicit threats to re-
noting that the investiga- strict or expel U.S. agents,
tion had been ongoing for U.S. prosecutors dropped
years, but the arrest came their case so Cienfuegos
shortly before U.S. presiden- could be returned to Mex-
tial elections. ico and investigated under
The president said that Mexican law.
Mexican prosecutors had Acting U.S. Attorney Seth
dropped the case be- In this Sept. 14, 2016 file photo, Secretary of Defense Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda arrives for a DuCharme told a judge at
cause the evidence shared review of the troops that will participate in the Independence Day parade, in Mexico City. the time,
by the United States had no Associated Press “The United States deter-
value to prove he commit- mined that the broader
ted any crime. tice said, “The United States licit or abnormal income, tory at Syracuse University’s interest in maintaining that
“Why did they do the inves- reserves the right to recom- nor was any evidence Maxwell School of Citizen- relationship in a coopera-
tigation like that?” López mence its prosecution of found “that he had issued ship and Public Affairs, said tive way outweighed the
Obrador said. “Without Cienfuegos if the Govern- any order to favor the crim- the only surprise was that department’s interest and
support, without proof?” ment of Mexico fails to do inal group in question.” Mexico didn’t make a bet- the public’s interest in pur-
Asked whether Mexicans so.” A seven-year investigation ter show of looking into suing this particular case.”
would feel disillusioned with López Obrador said the ev- by the U.S. authorities was Cienfuegos. Even though the U.S. yield-
his government’s prom- idence shared by the U.S. completely disproved by “One would think that they ed on Cienfuegos, Mexi-
ise to root out corruption, against Cienfuegos would Cienfuegos within five days would have at least fol- co’s Congress a few weeks
López Obrador said they be made public, because of having the U.S. evidence lowed through on some later passed a law that will
would cover up for no one. the people should see and shown to him, the state- semblance of an investi- restrict U.S. agents in Mexi-
“We’re not going to fabri- it had been a strike against ment said. gation, even if it was just to co and remove their diplo-
cate crimes. We’re not go- Mexico’s prestige. All charges were dropped put some window dressing matic immunity.
ing make up anything,” he In a statement Thursday and Cienfuegos, who was on the illusion that the rule Mike Vigil, the Drug En-
said. night, Mexico’s Attorney never placed under arrest of law exists,” McCormick forcement Administration’s
“We have to act based on General’s Office went be- after he was returned by said. former chief of internation-
the facts, the evidence, yond just announcing they U.S. officials, is no longer “From the Mexican side, al operations, said clearing
the realities.” were closing the case. Its under investigation. this signals the deep-seat- Cienfuegos “could be the
López Obrador acknowl- statement cleared the If the investigation had ed control the military as straw that broke the cam-
edged a prevailing con- general entirely. been underway for seven an institution has on power. el’s back as far as U.S.-Mex-
fidence in the U.S. justice “The conclusion was years, why was Cienfuegos It also shows that the level ico cooperation in counter-
system among Mexicans. reached that General Sal- arrested days before U.S. of complicity at play in this drug activities.”
“Those are the good judg- vador Cienfuegos Zepeda elections, especially since case.” “It was preordained that
es, flawless, those don’t never had any meeting he had also flown to the López Obrador has given Mexican justice would not
make mistakes, those are with the criminal organiza- U.S. in March, López Obra- the military more responsi- move forward with pros-
honest,” he said people tion investigated by Ameri- dor asked. bility and power than any ecuting General Cien-
would say. “In this case, can authorities, and that “What was the message? president in recent history, fuegos,” Vigil said.
with all respect, those that he also never had any Who from? What were relying on them to build “It will greatly stain the in-
did this investigation did communication with them, they trying to do, weaken massive infrastructure proj- tegrity of its judicial system
not act with professional- nor did he carry out acts to the Mexican government, ects and most recently to and despite the political
ism.” protect or help those indi- weaken Mexico’s armed distribute the COVID-19 rhetoric of wanting to elimi-
On Friday, Nicole Navas viduals,” the office said in a forces, spark a conflict with vaccine, in addition to their nate corruption, such is ob-
Oxman, acting deputy di- statement. the government?” expanded security respon- viously not the case. The
rector of public affairs at It said Cienfuegos had not Gladys McCormick, an sibilities. rule of law has been signifi-
the U.S. Department of Jus- been found to have any il- associate professor in his- Cienfuegos was arrested cantly violated.”q