Extradited Cartel Boss’s Ties to Tamaulipas Government

A recently extradited cartel leader is now facing multiple federal drug trafficking charges in Virginia. Interestingly, he was also a favored contractor for the government in Tamaulipas, Mexico, a region under the influence of governor Americo Villarreal, a member of the Morena Party.

According to reports, the Mexican federal government extradited 26 high-ranking cartel members to the U.S. to address concerns from the Trump administration about Mexico’s efforts against drug cartels. Among those extradited were significant figures from famous cartels like Sinaloa, Cartel Jalisco New Generation, La Familia Michoacana, and Los Zetas.

One of these bosses, Jose Francisco “El Eeyo” Mendoza Gomez, is implicated in drug trafficking operations in Virginia. Criminal filings indicate that he collaborated with Marcela “La Dama de Giero” Flores Turkey to transport substantial amounts of cocaine from Colombia and Panama into Virginia. Notably, their smuggling network had close associations with the Sinaloa cartel.

Recent revelations from journalist Sharma Castillo suggested that Mendoza Gomez had received sizeable government contracts from Tamaulipas Governor Americo Villarreal. The report mentions that he runs companies named JF Konstruyendo and Megamax. Through these ventures, he reportedly obtained a $4 million contract for construction and other services from the Tamaulipas government.

It’s worth noting that Villarreal has ties to the Gulf Cartel, with figures from the cartel reportedly backing his political campaign and hosting events in support of him. Additionally, there have been allegations connecting him to fuel theft linked to cartel activities.