Last month, former Mexican defense secretary Salvador Cienfuegos was arrested in the US for his alleged involvement with drug cartels. Cienfuegos will now be returned to Mexico for trial upon the country’s request. The transfer was announced by the two countries on Tuesday, and Mexican authorities promised to investigate Cienfuegos to the full extent of the law. Cienfuegos is accused of taking bribes from a cartel, receiving money for allowing them to operate under the table in Mexico while he was Secretary of National Defense.
However, US Attorney General William Barr has forged a deal with Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Manero in which US prosecutors will look to dismiss Cienfuego’s charges in the US. A hearing has been scheduled for before Cienfuego’s departure on Wednesday, where prosecutors are likely to request that the charges be dismissed. Cienfuego’s actions may have been crucial to the operations of certain drug cartels during his time as Secretary.
