Mexico Freezes Bank Accounts of Former Officials Investigated by U.S.

AP

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Mexico has frozen the bank accounts of former officials accused by the United States of having ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday, describing the move as a preventive measure rather than part of a domestic investigation.

Local media reported last week that Mexican financial authorities had blocked the accounts of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other current and former officials facing U.S. allegations that they assisted drug trafficking organisations.

Asked in her morning press conference why Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit, or UIF, had frozen the accounts, Sheinbaum ⁠said the agency would soon issue a statement explaining the action.

"Given that there is an arrest warrant in the United States against 10 people, the banks here - because they have relationships with banks there - take a series of measures," President Sheinbaum said. "Automatically, preventively, the UIF does it."

President Sheinbaum also announced that several senior U.S. cabinet officials are expected to visit Mexico in the coming days, including drug policy adviser Sara Carter and Homeland Security chief Markwayne Mullin.

She has previously stated that Mexico would not shield anyone found guilty of wrongdoing, although she stressed that no clear evidence has yet been presented and suggested the U.S. case may carry political motivations.

The case has increased pressure on President Sheinbaum as the U.S. expands its anti-cartel campaign to target not only criminal organisations, but also politicians and public officials allegedly linked to them.

Two former senior officials from Sinaloa named in the same case entered U.S. custody last week. Former public security secretary Gerardo Mérida Sánchez was arrested in Arizona and later appeared before a federal court in Manhattan, while former Sinaloa finance minister Enrique Díaz surrendered to U.S. authorities.

Source: Reuters



PUKMEDIA