Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum invited and stood just a few feet away from an infamous Mexican Army General who has been singled out and previously arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice for having alleged ties to drug cartels. The public appearance comes at a time when Mexico’ is facing immense pressure from the U.S. government to eradicate drug cartels or face sanctions and other punitive measures.
On Sunday morning, former Mexican Secretary of Defense Salvador Cienfuegos wore his full military uniform and stood on the stage with several other officials at an event commemorating the 112th anniversary of Mexico’s Loyalty March.
Mexican Army General Salvador Cienfuegos attends an event with cabinet officials. (Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles)
While she did not shake hands with him, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stood just a few yards away during the military ceremony. During the event, dozens of high-ranking military and top government officials made lines to shake hands and talk with Cienfuegos.
Cienfuegos has been the topic of much controversy following his 2020 arrest in the U.S. by federal authorities who accused him of using his position as Mexico’s highest-ranking military official to benefit drug cartels and had even been referred to as the Godfather.
Top Mexican military brass lines up to shake hands with General Salvador Cienfuegos. (Credit: Breitbart News Foundation / Cartel Chronicles).
As Breitbart Texas reported, the U.S. Department of Justice withdrew the charges to let Mexico prosecute Cienfuegos first as part of a deal. As soon as the extradition took place, authorities in that country released him and claimed there was no evidence tying the general to criminal activity.
Mexico’s then president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, went as far as to criticize the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, claiming that they were improperly building cases and manufacturing evidence.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart News Foundation traveled to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas, including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas, if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and their original Spanish. This article was written by “L.P. Contreras” from Mexico City.
