Mexico acts independently in extraditing criminal leaders to US—president

(MENAFN) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday described the recent extradition of 37 high-profile cartel operatives to the United States as a “sovereign decision” made to bolster national security, emphasizing that it was not carried out to satisfy US demands.

While the Trump administration welcomed the transfer, Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico’s public safety priorities guided the decision. “Mexico comes first, above everything else, even if (the US) asks for whatever they want to ask for. It is a sovereign decision. And it is analyzed based on considerations of security policy, national security policy, and the protection of sovereignty,” she said during a press briefing.

The extraditions form part of ongoing cooperation between Mexico and the US, which has seen 92 high-profile criminals transferred to American authorities to support cross-border law enforcement efforts. Sheinbaum noted that although the US Department of Justice had requested the latest extraditions, the decision was made independently by Mexico’s National Security Council, based on the expected impact on domestic public security.

Following the transfers, the US Justice Department praised the operation, calling it a significant step in the fight against drug cartels. “This is another landmark achievement in the Trump administration’s mission to destroy the cartels. These 37 cartel members – including terrorists from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG and others – will now pay for their crimes against the American people on American soil,” said US Attorney General Pam Bondi.

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