Mexico on Tuesday sent 26 accused cartel operatives to the United States, Mexican officials announced, in an apparent bid to alleviate the intense pressure the country faces from President Trump to do more to combat the powerful criminal organizations that smuggle fentanyl across the border.
The transfer is the second this year by Mexican officials, who sent 29 cartel leaders to the United States in February — a decision that sparked debate in Mexico over the legal grounds and political sense of such a gambit.
For months, Mexico has been under intense pressure from Mr. Trump, who has threatened high tariffs over issues like immigration and combating drug cartels. Although the Mexican government has worked hard to curb migration and has launched an aggressive campaign against the Sinaloa Cartel, U.S. officials have consistently asked for more action.
On Friday, The New York Times reported that Mr. Trump had secretly ordered the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American cartels that his administration had deemed terrorist organizations.
There have been conversations between Mexican and U.S. officials over the transfer in recent days, according to four people with knowledge of the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private negotiations.
The Mexican government said on Tuesday that the 26 people being extradited were “wanted for their links to criminal organizations for drug trafficking, among other crimes, and represented a permanent risk to public security.” It said that the U.S. Justice Department had requested their extradition and had committed to not requesting the death penalty in their cases.
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The post Under Pressure by Trump, Mexico Sends 26 Accused Cartel Operatives to U.S. appeared first on New York Times.
