MEXICO CITY (AP) — In a significant move amid escalating tensions between the United States and Mexico, Mexico’s Security Minister, Omar García Harfuch, announced on Tuesday that the country has extradited an additional 37 members of Mexican drug cartels to the U.S. This action comes as the Trump administration intensifies its demands for stronger crackdowns on criminal organizations that are believed to be trafficking drugs across the border.
In a post on social media platform X, García Harfuch described the transferred individuals as “high impact criminals” posing substantial threats to national security. This marks the third round of transfers to the U.S. within the past year, with the total number of cartel members sent over reaching 92.
Footage released by Mexican authorities depicted a group of handcuffed prisoners being escorted by heavily armed officers to a military aircraft at an airport near Mexico City. Analysts suggest that as pressure mounts from the White House, Mexico has had to resort to extraordinary measures, such as these transfers, to appease U.S. expectations.
Included among those extradited were key figures from notorious cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, all of whom have pending cases in the United States. Notably, María Del Rosario Navarro Sánchez was among those transferred, gaining attention as the first Mexican national to face charges in the U.S. for supporting a terrorist organization linked to a cartel.
Trump has previously hinted at potential military action against Mexican cartels, rhetoric that has intensified following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the ousting of former President Nicolás Maduro. In a recent interview, Trump stated, “We’ve knocked out 97% of the drugs coming in by water and we are going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels.”
Following a conversation with Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum asserted that U.S. intervention in Mexico is unnecessary, though she acknowledged ongoing collaboration between the two nations in tackling drug trafficking.
Historically, this strategy of transferring cartel members has seen its share of notable figures. Last February, for instance, Mexico extradited 29 cartel operatives, including Rafael Caro Quintero, a major player linked to the murder of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985. In August, 26 members were sent to the U.S. in an effort to disrupt their operations from inside Mexican prisons.
The latest transfer had been anticipated for weeks as Mexico aims to reassure the Trump administration of its commitment to combating drug trafficking. Experts note that for Trump and his supporters, tangible results from cooperation with Mexico are likely to be of utmost importance.
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