Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, declared that both former president Enrique Peña Nieto and current president Andrés Manuel López Obrador ( AMLO ) received million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel.
The statement was recorded in court documents from the United States that were made public on Wednesday night and that journalist David Ordaz shared through his Twitter account on the afternoon of November 24.
In these files dated January 2019, the following can be read:
“In his opening statement, the defense attorney promised the jury that the trial would reveal details about the bribery of high-ranking individuals, including several presidents of Mexico”
“How did [Mayo Zambada] manage to become the biggest drug trafficker on the planet? I’ll tell you how: He bribes the entire government of Mexico, including up to the highest level: the current president of Mexico. And the previous one too ”, reads the document.
The Government of Mexico tried to block the testimony but their request was rejected.
“I’ll say that again with some emphasis: Mexico’s current and former presidents received hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes from the Mayo, according to government witnesses.”
The accusations are based on testimony from an individual identified as Alex Cifuentes-Villa, who allegedly worked for El Chapo and whose testimony would point to Ismael El Mayo Zambada as responsible for the bribery of AMLO and Peña Nieto.
However, later in the document, it is clarified that that opening statement could not be supported by the defense, since the bribe would have been paid to an official belonging to AMLO’s electoral campaign in 2006.
“As the government explained in the motion, the planned cross-examination by the defense was misleading, because the bribe in question had been paid to an individual associated with the failed presidential campaign, more than a decade ago, of the current president of Mexico (AMLO).”, reads the document.
Therefore, the court stressed that this was a contradiction with the defense statement in which the president was pointed out as having received the bribe. To which the defense responded by denying that he was referring to AMLO: “I said the previous two presidents of Mexico, who are ( Felipe) Calderón and Peña Nieto .”
They also pointed out that on January 15, 2019, the lawyer asked Cifuentes if the defendant, El Chapo, had paid $100 million dollars to Peña Nieto, which they indicated contradicted the version that Zambada would have been behind the payment of bribes.
After this, they indicated that the bribery accusations would actually only have the objective, on the part of the defense, of damaging the country’s international relations, as well as damaging the image of the president of Mexico.
Another former official who has been linked to the Sinaloa Cartel is Genaro García Luna, who was denied by the United States.
Judge Brian Cogan of the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Brooklyn, New York, denied a request to drop four charges of drug trafficking against Genaro García Luna, who was Secretary of Public Safety for former Mexican President Felipe Calderón.
According to said document, the criminal group has distributed tons of cocaine and other drugs throughout Central America, Mexico, and the United States.
Both the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel ( CJNG ) have reached other countries, specifically their presence has been registered in Qatar. To reach that Asian country, they have established alliances with other criminal organizations.
In relation to Qatar, “since 2017 we have detected the presence of drug cartels, specifically the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Nueva Generación,” said Johan Obdola, who is currently president of IOSI Global, an organization dedicated to security both nationally, regional and international in an interview with journalist Óscar Balderas.
One of the drugs that criminal organizations offer in Qatar is methamphetamine but also an amphetamine identified as “captagon”, also named “the jihadist drug”, a substance that can prevent sleep for more than 36 hours.
To reach the Persian Gulf, drug traffickers formed alliances with terrorist or paramilitary groups in order to send shipments from America. One of them is identified as Hezbollah, a terrorist organization with a presence in more than 50 countries.
Trending News on PVDN
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
45 Bags of Human Remains Discovered in Jalisco PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A chilling discovery of 45 bags filled with human remains in a deep ravine in the El Mirador del Bosque neighborhood of Zapopan has escalated the search for seven missing youths last seen at a local call center. The Jalisco Attorney General's Office confirmed late Wednesday that the gruesome discovery was…
Two More Puerto Vallarta Beaches Are Awarded Blue Flags Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, Puerto Vallarta is set to host six beaches awarded with the Blue Flag accreditation, an esteemed international recognition for high environmental and quality standards. The Blue Flag committee has reconfirmed the status for four previously certified beaches while conferring this prestigious title to two new beaches…
‘Kingdoms of Mexico’ Distinction Launches to Boost Tourist Destinations With European Influences Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - Miguel Torruco Marqués, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), introduced the new 'Kingdoms of Mexico' distinction, a major initiative designed to enhance the appeal of Mexico's tourist communities on an international level. The announcement came during a presentation attended by the governors of Tlaxcala, Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros; Baja California,…
SEAPAL Vallarta Launches New Vallarta II Tank to Reinforce Drinking Water Supply PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - SEAPAL Vallarta, the local water management authority, announced the successful integration and activation of the new Vallarta II Tank to its drinking water distribution system on Tuesday, May 30. This strategic addition is expected to enhance the availability of water in Vallarta homes, a pressing issue in the wake of the…
The Connection Between the Jalisco Cartel, Missing Employees at Call Center, 45 Bags of Body Parts, Timeshare Scams, and American Tourists PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - More than a week after the initial disappearance of eight young workers at a call center in Zapopan, Jalisco, the case continues to be shrouded in mystery, leaving families distraught and demanding answers. The Jalisco Prosecutor's Office has made little progress in the investigation, according to the relatives of the missing…
Investigation Continues Following Discovery of Skeletal Remains in Puerto Vallarta PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – The mystery surrounding the discovery of skeletal remains in a rural area of Puerto Vallarta is yet to be resolved, according to State Prosecutor Luis Joaquín Méndez Ruiz. On his visit to Puerto Vallarta to participate in the Navy Day celebrations, the state prosecutor insisted the discovery is not a clandestine…
Puerto Vallarta Celebrates 105 Years as Municipality, 55 as City with Grand Anniversary Celebration PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - Puerto Vallarta, one of the nation's favorite tourist destinations, celebrated the 105th anniversary of its elevation to a municipality and its 55th year as a city with a solemn session held in the central courtyard of the city's presidency. Presiding over the commemorative event was Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez,…
It’s Getting a Little More Expensive for Americans Living in Mexico, Peso Surges to Over Seven-Year High Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The Mexican peso reached its highest level in more than seven years on Friday, June 2, driven by positive employment data from the United States. The country's stock market also experienced a notable rise as fears of a recession in the US diminished. At the close of trading, the peso was…