Mexico has sent 37 alleged cartel members to the United States, calling them “high impact criminals” who threatened national security. The transfer, announced Tuesday, is the third in less than a year and brings the total number of cartel members sent to 92, as pressure from the Trump administration to curb drug trafficking continues.
A transfer of cartel members under growing pressure
The timing of this latest transfer of cartel members is important. The Trump administration has been increasing pressure on Mexico and other countries to do more to stop drug trafficking and weaken powerful cartels. Trump has even talked about using the U.S. military against Mexican cartels. This suggestion has raised concern in both countries. After a recent U.S. operation in Venezuela, Trump said his government would now focus more on land routes used by cartels.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said after speaking with Trump that U.S. intervention inside Mexico was “not necessary.” However, she stressed that both countries would continue to work together. The transfer of the 37 cartel members fits into this message of cooperation and shared responsibility in fighting organized crime.
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Analyst David Mora said rising pressure from Washington is pushing Mexico to take strong steps. These include transfers of cartel members. He said this shows Mexico is serious about fighting crime. The U.S. State and Justice Departments have not yet commented. However, all the cartel members are said to have pending cases. This suggests U.S. prosecutors are ready to move forward.
Who are the people being sent
The group of 37 cartel members primarily includes figures from several of Mexico’s most well-known and feared criminal organizations. In particular, among these are suspects linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, the Beltrán-Leyva cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and the Northeast Cartel. Notably, the Northeast Cartel is known as a remaining part of the once-powerful Zetas group. It is based in the border state of Tamaulipas, across from Texas.
Moreover, Mexican authorities have said that all of these suspects were already wanted by U.S. law enforcement. Therefore, the transfer is not only a political move. In addition, it is also a legal one. Specifically, it is meant to let the U.S. justice system handle crimes connected to the United States.
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One of the most notable people in this group is María Del Rosario Navarro Sánchez. She is the first Mexican citizen to face charges in the United States for providing support to a terrorist organization. According to U.S. authorities, she is accused of working with a cartel in ways that go beyond normal criminal activity.
The video shared by Mexican officials showed the prisoners under heavy security, walking in a line with their hands cuffed, surrounded by armed officers, before being loaded onto a military jet.
A pattern of recent extraditions
This latest transfer follows two similar actions earlier this year. In February, Mexico sent 29 cartel members to the United States, including Rafael Caro Quintero, a long-wanted drug lord linked to the 1985 killing of a U.S. DEA agent.
In August, Mexican authorities carried out another transfer, sending 26 cartel members from different criminal groups to the United States to face pending legal cases.
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After the August transfer, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said the move was also about public safety. He explained that Mexico did not want criminals continuing to run operations from inside Mexican prisons.
For weeks, there had been rumors that another group would be transferred. The latest handover of 37 cartel members adds to that record of cooperation and highlights how closely the fight against cartel members is linked to relations between Mexico and the United States.