In a peculiar turn of events, Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord found himself at an airfield near El Paso, Texas in July. However, the story behind how he ended up there is unfolding into a scandal that implicates key figures in Mexico’s ruling party. The controversy surrounds whether Rubén Rocha, the governor of Sinaloa, a state dominated by cartels and known for being a major producer of lethal fentanyl, engaged in meetings with top leaders of the Sinaloa cartel.
The narrative is filled with intrigue reminiscent of a 1940s film noir, casting doubts on President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s stance that he avoids direct confrontation with the country’s drug cartels and does not negotiate with them. Federal prosecutors disclosed that Sinaloa state officials tampered with evidence to obscure the July 25 murder of Héctor Cuén, a politician who allegedly enticed drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to a location where he expected to meet Governor Rocha. Instead, Zambada was abducted by another cartel leader and transported to the United States, where he was arrested.
Despite Rocha’s insistence that Cuén was killed by robbers at a gas station later that day, discrepancies emerged when post-mortem examinations revealed multiple gunshot wounds on Cuén’s body, contradicting security camera footage presented by Rocha. Moreover, Sinaloa officials violated standard murder investigation protocols by permitting Cuén’s body to be cremated. The state’s attorney general resigned in the midst of the turmoil.
President López Obrador, while acknowledging inconsistencies in the case, pledged a thorough investigation by federal prosecutors to unravel the truth. Rocha, a proponent of the president’s non-confrontational approach towards drug cartels, has been associated with López Obrador’s strategy of prioritizing social programs over aggressive law enforcement tactics to address cartel influence.
The foundation of López Obrador’s drug policy, contending that cartel arrests are futile and are usually at the behest of the United States, has faced scrutiny. The president’s assertions regarding the nature of Mexican cartels and their involvement in the fentanyl crisis are also under question. Analysts highlight allegations of negotiations between intermediaries linked to the Sinaloa cartel and government officials, though Rocha denies such dealings.
The arrest of Zambada in conjunction with the intriguing circumstances surrounding his abduction, involving political rivalries and alleged meetings, has sparked a wave of apprehension within Mexico’s political elite. Zambada’s account of the events leading up to his capture, along with his surprising decision to meet with Rocha, sheds light on the intricate dynamics between cartels and state authorities. Despite Rocha’s denial of involvement in the controversial meeting, Zambada’s narrative seems to carry more weight in the ongoing saga.