Mexico Declines To Open Case Against Ex-Defense Minister - Attorney's General Office

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2021) Mexico will not launch criminal proceedings against former Defense Minister Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda who is accused by the United States of drug trafficking and money laundering, the Mexican attorney's general office said.

The ex-defense chief was detained by the US authorities in mid-October 2020. According to the US investigation, Cienfuegos abused his authority as defense minister in the period from 2012 to 2018 by dealing with the H-2 drug cartel. In November, the US Justice Department dropped charges against Cienfuegos to extradite him to Mexico for further proceedings.

"After analyzing the evidence sent by the North American [US] authorities and provided by General Salvador Cienfuegos, the attorney's general office of the republic found that he did not meet or communicate with any criminal group.

Therefore, it was determined not to launch criminal prosecution," the prosecutor's office said on Twitter on Thursday.

The Cienfuego's detention in the US has made urgent the need for reforms in the Mexican legislation concerning restrictions on the foreign security agents' activities.

In mid-December, the Mexican deputies adopted the bill, according to which agents will have to share all the collected information and present monthly reports on their work to the Mexican government. They will be prohibited from making arrests and taking any actions on the territory of Mexico that contradict the national legislation.