Mexico’s leading security officials have sharply rebuked U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Director Terry Cole for remarks suggesting connections between drug cartels and the Mexican government.
In a rare move, Mexico’s National Security Cabinet released a statement directly criticizing Cole following his speech in Florida earlier this week. Cole claimed there is a lethal link between drug cartels and public officials in Mexico, indicating that the U.S. would hold accountable those officials who collaborate with the cartels.
When questioned about these statements, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum firmly asserted at a morning press conference that there was no corruption or collusion between the government and criminal organizations during her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term and her own tenure.
Shortly after, the National Security Cabinet labeled Cole’s comments as “baseless,” emphasizing that the Mexican government is committed to a strategy of “zero impunity.” The government also cited various statistics related to arrests and seizures to demonstrate its active efforts against organized crime.
This response adds to the ongoing verbal disputes with U.S. law enforcement, particularly regarding not only the drug cartels but also the politicians who might be enabling them.
Tensions have escalated in recent months following the U.S. Department of Justice’s indictment of Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine of his closest associates, including top law enforcement figures in the state. The indictment refers to charges of drug trafficking conspiracy and weapons offenses, accusing Rocha Moya and his allies of working with the Sinaloa cartel in return for bribes and political influence.
Instead of supporting the U.S. efforts for Rocha Moya’s arrest and extradition, Sheinbaum publicly defended him, claiming there was no proof of any misconduct.
