The Mexican government has charged and arrested the former attorney general of Chihuahua, but not for the typical reasons you might expect, like corruption or drug trafficking. Instead, he is facing prosecution for collaborating with U.S. agencies against drug cartels in his state.
His work led to the uncovering and dismantling of one of the largest drug manufacturing labs in Mexico’s history.
This week, the Federal Attorney General’s Office in Mexico announced the arrest of former Attorney General Cesar Jauregui as part of an ongoing criminal case against significant figures from the state for engaging with U.S. agencies, mainly the CIA, without the necessary federal approval. In a video posted on social media, Mexico’s Attorney General Ernestina Godoy accused Jauregui of treason concerning national security.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, the saga began in April when authorities revealed the finding and seizure of one of the largest illicit drug labs in Mexico’s history. At that time, officials at various levels of government hailed the discovery as proof that Mexico was taking a strong stance against organized crime.
However, shortly after the announcement, a tragic incident occurred where two U.S. agents and several high-ranking law enforcement officials from Chihuahua died in a crash while returning from inspecting the labs. This incident incited outrage from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her administration, who asserted that only the federal government should coordinate with foreign officials. She called for an investigation into the state government, citing national sovereignty. Under pressure from Sheinbaum’s government, Jauregui resigned in April, taking responsibility for the operation and somewhat shielding the state governor from blame.
In terms of politics, Chihuahua is currently led by officials from the National Action Party, which is in direct opposition to Sheinbaum’s Morena Party, often associated with various drug cartels. A notable instance arose earlier this year when the U.S. Department of Justice charged Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine associates (affiliated with the Morena Party) with drug conspiracy and weapons charges, alleging connections with the Sinaloa Cartel. Instead of supporting the efforts to arrest and extradite, Sheinbaum defended Rocha Moya, claiming there was no evidence of wrongdoing and suggesting that the charges were politically motivated actions from the U.S. political right aimed at discrediting her party.
Several other politicians from Morena have also been linked to criminal organizations and had their U.S. visas revoked, including sitting governors, mayors, senators, congressmen, and the son of Morena Party founder Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. In all such cases, Sheinbaum has promptly defended her party members and publicly challenged the U.S. government, accusing it of foreign interference.
