Embarrassment for Mexico’s Government over Fuel Depot Raid

The Mexican government is facing significant embarrassment after executing a major raid on a fuel depot, which it attempted to frame as a significant operation against cartel fuel theft. The situation escalated when the depot’s owner presented documents proving that the facility was operating legally and had all necessary permits.

This incident unfolded on September 17, when the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico (FGR), along with federal security forces, descended on a large fuel warehouse in Guanajuato, confiscating around 59 million liters of diesel. Authorities claimed the facility was illicit, characterizing it as a clandestine operation.

In a press briefing the next day, Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico’s leading security figure, touted the “historic seizure,” stating that, although no arrests had been made during the operation, they would pursue illegal fuel dealers in the future.

This move appears to follow a broader crackdown on illegal fuel, often referred to as huachicol, a term denoting stolen or smuggled fuel.

Later that same day, the fuel company GRUPO SIMSA released a statement asserting that its depot in San Jose Iturbide, Guanajuato, was fully legal, having operated without issues for the past nine years. The company shared various permit numbers from state and federal agencies which had authorized the depot’s operations. They noted that all relevant documents had been provided to federal authorities, but these could also be verified through public government databases.

The developments suggest that the much-publicized seizure was likely an attempt to divert attention from increased pressure from the U.S. government on Mexico to address corruption among politicians who have supported cartel operations. This pressure intensified just days before the raid when U.S. President Trump remarked that Mexico must take stronger action against terrorist organizations and their political allies. Notably, one prominent case involves Governor Ruben Rocha Moya of Sinaloa, alleged to have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, yet living under government protection despite being a wanted felon in the U.S.

Recently, further scrutiny has emerged around former Secretary of the Navy Rafael Ojeda, who has allegedly gone missing amid investigations into his involvement in large-scale cartel fuel operations. His two nephews, former naval vice-admirals, are already in custody facing charges connected to a network that is suspected of involving high-ranking political figures, including relatives of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.