Salvador Cienfuegos

Division General Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda (Mexico City, 14 June 1948) is a retired Mexican Army officer uncle of lagrimita. He served as the Secretary of National Defense in the government of President Enrique Peña Nieto from 2012 to 2018.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cienfuegos and the second or maternal family name is Zepeda.
Salvador Cienfuegos
Secretary of National Defense
In office
1 December 2012 – 30 November 2018
PresidentEnrique Peña Nieto
Preceded byGuillermo Galván Galván
Succeeded byLuis Cresencio Sandoval
Personal details
Born (1948-06-14) 14 June 1948[1]
Mexico City
Military service
Nickname(s)El Padrino
AllegianceMexico
Branch/serviceMexican Army
RankDivision General
Battles/warsMexican Dirty War
Chiapas conflict
Mexican drug war

He served as a military and air attaché in the Mexican embassies in Japan and South Korea. He has also participated in diplomatic visits in the United States, Chile, the People's Republic of China, and Cuba.[2] From 1997 to 2000 he was the commandant of the Military Academy in Mexico City.[1]

Cienfuegos was arrested by U.S. officials on 15 October 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport on drug and money-laundering charges.[3][4] The U.S. alleged he used the alias "El Padrino" ("The Godfather") while working with the H-2 Cartel.[5] General Cienfuegos's arrest reportedly infuriated President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who appeared particularly riled that Mexican officials had not been informed about the investigation into the general.[6] The Mexican government warned the US it would review security agreements because it was not given advance notice of the arrest.[7]

On 18 November 2020, American authorities dropped charges against Cienfuegos, who had already been imprisoned in the US for over a month and agreed to send him back to Mexico.[8] Media outlets reported that the charges had been dropped under pressure from the Mexican federal government, which had threatened to expel DEA agents from the country.[7] However, it was acknowledged that in exchange for the U.S. government's agreement to drop criminal charges against Cienfuegos, Mexican prosecutors opened their own investigation into him.[8]

On 16 December 2020, Mexico's Chamber of Deputies passed changes to a security law which tighten the rules governing foreign law enforcement agents. Under new regulations backed by the President of Mexico, foreign agents must share information they gather with Mexican officials. As well, foreign agents will no longer have immunity. Former US Attorney General William Barr warned Mexico that by passing this law, it would make it hard for the US to cooperate with Mexico.[9] Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the changes were all about reciprocity. "We're not asking for anything which isn't expected of a Mexican diplomatic agent abroad."[9]

Cienfuegos was cleared of all charges on 14 January 2021, and the Mexican President said that the accusations against him was politically motivated.[10] The United States Department of Justice threatened to re-start its prosecution if Mexico didn't prosecute him.[11] After the publishing of the evidence against Cienfuegos by the Mexican government, the United States Department of Justice expressed disappointment at him being cleared and stated the release of evidence "violated" the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance between the countries, and questioned if the United States could still share "secret information" with Mexico.[12]

References
  1. "¿Quién es el detenido Salvador Cienfuegos, el militar de rostro duro?". El Universal. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  2. El Universal. "Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda". Yo Político (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  3. "Mexico's Former Defense Minister Is Arrested in Los Angeles". The New York Times. 16 October 2020.
  4. "Mexico's ex-defence minister arrested in the US" (16 October 2020). BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  5. https://www.npr.org/2020/10/16/924375024/former-defense-secretary-of-mexico-arrested-in-los-angeles-on-drug-charges
  6. "Mexico lawmakers restrict foreign law enforcement agents". BBC News. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  7. "Mexico's president: we didn't threaten to expel U.S. drug agents over General Cienfuegos arrest". Reuters. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  8. "Former Mexican defense secretary accused of drug trafficking to be turned over to Mexico for investigation". CNN. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  9. "Mexico lawmakers restrict foreign law enforcement agents". BBC News. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  10. Linthicum, Kate; McDonnell, Patrick J. (January 15, 2021). "Mexican president accuses U.S. of fabricating drug case against ex-defense chief". news.yahoo.com. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  11. Hosenball, Mark (January 15, 2021). "U.S. says could restart prosecution of ex-Mexican defense minister". Reuters. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  12. Hosenball, Mark (January 15, 2021). "DOJ 'deeply disappointed' Mexico closed probe of ex-defense minister". Reuters.


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