Cartel figures handed to U.S. authorities

Mexico sends 26 cartel figures to the United States as part of ongoing security cooperation with the Trump administration.

Mexico Expels Cartel Figures in US Cooperation Under Trump

Mexico transferred 26 high ranking cartel members to U.S. custody on Tuesday, a continuation of security cooperation with the Trump administration. The group includes Abigael Gonzalez Valencia, a leader of Los Cuinis tied to the CJNG, and Roberto Salazar, linked to the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff deputy. Additional figures are connected to the Sinaloa cartel and other trafficking networks. The transfers follow a February batch of 29 cartel figures after the United States agreed not to pursue the death penalty in these cases. The move is presented as a practical step in dismantling violent drug networks and reducing the flow of narcotics into the United States.

U.S. officials describe the transfers as a milestone in cross border law enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the 26 have played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores, and praised collaboration with Mexico. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson called the action a sign that two governments can work together against violence. The background includes tensions over tariff threats and Mexico’s sovereignty, with Washington pressing for tougher security actions while Mexico resists outside military intervention.

The expulsion of cartel figures underscores how security cooperation remains a central tool in addressing cross border crime, even as political tensions flare over tariffs and sovereignty. By tying extradition decisions to broader diplomacy, both governments signal a willingness to sustain enforcement gains beyond election cycles. Yet the episodes also reveal a fragile balance between cooperation and national autonomy, particularly as lawmakers in Mexico push back against perceived external pressure. The pattern of successive transfers suggests a strategic approach to deprive cartels of leadership and financing, but it will be judged by whether reduced drug flows translate into safer streets and fewer destabilizing spillovers in Mexican communities.

Highlights

Cooperation survives political storms when shared safety goals endure.