Charges Filed Against Mexican Woman for Cartel Support
A 39-year-old woman has been identified as the first Mexican citizen charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for providing material support to a cartel classified as a foreign terrorist organization, according to Texas court documents.
Maria del Rosario Navarro stands accused of collaborating with others to supply a hand-held bullet to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a notorious Mexican cartel that has been officially labeled a terrorist organization alongside various criminal entities in Latin America.
Officials have stated that Navarro’s arrest serves as a warning to those looking to associate with terrorist groups.
In addition to the primary charge, Navarro faces accusations of conspiring for smuggling and transporting aliens within the United States, as well as conspiring to possess controlled substances, aimed at facilitating trafficking of firearms.
Navarro is not alone in this case; two other Mexican nationals are also facing similar gun trafficking charges in Texas courts.
Omar Garcia Halfucci, Mexico’s security minister, confirmed Navarro’s arrest, noting her role as a CJNG operator within a federal initiative in the state’s West Jalisco region.
The Justice Department expressed appreciation for the cooperation of Mexican law enforcement in this operation.
This designation of terrorism comes amid heightened government efforts to enforce immigration crackdowns, leading to the deportation of thousands of foreigners to third-party countries in Latin America.
