Mexico’s Former Defense Chief, Army Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda Arrested, Released to Mexico After Charges Dismissed
Joint Statement by Attorney General of the United States William P. Barr and Fiscalía General of Mexico Alejandro Gertz Manero
Attorney General of the United States William P. Barr and Fiscalía General of Mexico Alejandro Gertz Manero issued today the following statement:
“On Oct. 15, 2020, former Mexican Secretary of National Defense General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda was arrested in Los Angeles, California, on U.S. charges of conspiracy to manufacture, import, and distribute narcotics into the United States and money laundering.
“The Mexican Fiscalía General de la República, upon learning of the arrest and U.S. charges against General Cienfuegos, opened its own investigation.
“In recognition of the strong law enforcement partnership between Mexico and the United States, and in the interests of demonstrating our united front against all forms of criminality, the U.S. Department of Justice has made the decision to seek dismissal of the U.S. criminal charges against former Secretary Cienfuegos, so that he may be investigated and, if appropriate, charged, under Mexican law.
“At the request of the Fiscalía General de la República, the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Treaty that governs the sharing of evidence, has provided Mexico evidence in this case and commits to continued cooperation, within that framework, to support the investigation by Mexican authorities.
“Our two countries remain committed to cooperation on this matter, as well as all our bilateral law enforcement cooperation. As the decision today reflects, we are stronger when we work together and respect the sovereignty of our nations and their institutions. This close partnership increases the security of the citizens of both our countries.”
Former Mexican Defense Secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos was arrested Thursday night on drug and money laundering charges at Los Angeles International Airport, VOA reported
Cienfuegos, who led Mexico’s armed forces under then-President Enrique Peña Nieto, was detained at the U.S airport with members of his family, who were released.
The former Mexican military leader was reportedly detained on a warrant from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mexico’s foreign minister confirmed the arrest in a tweet late Thursday.
Mexican Sec of Defense once considered a beacon of Democracy
Democracy Providing Stability, Security in the Hemisphere, Mattis Says in Mexico
OCT. 9, 2018 | BY JIM GARAMONE, DEFENSE.GOV
Democracy is succeeding in Latin America and can be a beacon to the rest of the world, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis said yesterday at the Defense Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis speaks with Mexican Army Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, the secretary of national defense, during an armed forces parade in Mexico City, Sept. 15, 2017. DOD photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Jette Carr
The Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, co-hosted by Mexican Secretary of National Defense Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda and Mexican Secretary of Navy Adm. Vidal Francisco Soberon Sanz, allows defense ministers from Canada to Chile to gather and discuss shared hemispheric defense challenges. The forum was founded by then-Defense Secretary William J. Perry.
“From Ottawa to Buenos Aires to Santiago, from south to north and from east to west, our nations increasingly represent an island of democratic stability amidst a global sea of instability due to malign influence,” Mattis said during his address. “In bringing us together, Mexico continues to show important strategic leadership building trusted relationships between us based on respect, cooperation, and mutual understanding.”
Mattis said there are challenges to stability and security in the Americas, from transnational criminal syndicates to illegal immigration to humanitarian issues.
Partnership is Crucial
Partnership among the nations of the hemisphere is crucial to addressing these challenges, he said.
Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela are the exceptions to the rule in the region. Mattis called the leadership in Cuba “sad and unresponsive.” Nicaragua and Venezuela tried to model their countries after Cuba. But the nations, “cannot hide from the reality they face as the world recognizes that the Cuba model no longer works for anyone, even Cuba,” he said.
“Democracy is working,” Mattis said. “Our democratic nations send a message as we uphold our shared values, including respect for human rights, the rule of law, and sovereignty. And that message reverberates around the globe.”
The success is seen even in nations like Russia and China that still try to tear down the existing international order to emplace something that benefits them alone. Mattis said those countries “threaten sovereignty with predatory investments, piling up massive debt and seeking undue influence over other countries diplomatic, political, and economic decisions.”
Fostering Understanding, Cooperation
He called on the hemispheric nations to remain steadfast in the commitment to foster greater understanding and cooperation. “We see the positive impact our growing partnerships have for ensuring peace and stability in this region and beyond,” Mattis said. “We see it in this very room as we listen with respect to each other and the vision we have so we can collaborate better together.”
The challenges in the hemisphere cannot be addressed by one nation alone, Mattis said. “In tackling such difficult challenges together, we prove that like-minded nations are stronger when we collaborate, that we are then more responsive in serving our populations when disaster strikes,” he said. “So I express my support for making humanitarian assistance and disaster relief a permanent theme for the CDMA and for the Inter-American Defense Board to play a more intense role in strengthening regional humanitarian assistance/disaster relief cooperation, and my Department will stand with you, will stand alongside you, when trouble looms.”