“Socalj” for Borderland Beat
“García Luna’s conduct included facilitating the safe passage of Cartel drug shipments, providing the sensitive information to law enforcement about Cartel investigations, and assisting (him) in attacking rival drug cartels, which facilitated the importation of multi-ton quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States,” the US Department of Justice said in a statement after the verdict was announced.
As Luna has been seen as the main architect of the modern war on drugs in Mexico, his conviction has brought cries for his former bosses, including former Mexican Presidents to be investigated for their possible involvement and potentially charged as well.
The ongoing conflict has led to more than 400,000 people killed, 82,000 disappearing, and hundreds of thousands displaced since 2006 when Luna was put in charge of public security for Mexico.
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Prosecutor’s Statement
“Garcia Luna, who once stood at the pinnacle of law enforcement in Mexico, will now live the rest of his days having been revealed as a traitor to his country and to the honest members of law enforcement who risked their lives to dismantle drug cartels,” stated United States Attorney Peace.
Defense Attorney De Castro
“We are extremely disappointed with today’s verdict. After many years of trying to build a case against Mr. García Luna with credible and reliable evidence, the government was forced to settle for a case built on the backs of some of the most notorious and ruthless criminals to have testified in this court,” said the defense lawyer as he left the Court for the Eastern District of Brooklyn, New York.
César de Castro reiterated that “the government did not have reliable evidence to corroborate its witnesses”, they wanted the jury to see that it was a government case without evidence: “we are very disappointed that it was not so, but we respect the decision of the jury.” The defense attorney also announced that they will seek an appeal following his sentencing on June 27, 2023.
US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar
The United States Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, pointed out that the guilty verdict for Genaro García Luna is a sign that the justice department maintains zero tolerance against corruption.
“The unanimous verdict shows the unwavering commitment of the United States to defend democracy and have zero tolerance for corruption,” he declared via Twitter.
Salazar also expressed that the jury’s decision also represents a strong stance against the attempts of criminal groups that try to weaken the institutions.
Mexican Officials
“There is no perfect crime. The jury found Genaro García Luna guilty. Taking the testimonies as valid, those who follow are Vicente Fox Quezada and Felipe Calderón. No to impunity.” Tweeted Ignacio Mier Velazco, Morena Party Coordinator in the Chamber of Deputies.
“What could not be investigated and prosecuted in Mexico is happening in the United States,” Clemente Castañeda said. Morenistas in the Chamber of Deputies also shouted: “Continue Calderón.”
A verbal fight broke out in the Mexican Senate. It started when Senator Álvarez-Icaza accused of “shameful” that Morenista politicians celebrated the resolution of the US Court, while in Mexico “justice is not done,” he accused. “The President decided to put on a show every day in the morning of what is being judged in New York because there is no justice here, there is an impunity pact here.”
Morena National Leader Mario Delgado
Mario Delgado, the National Leader of the Morena party assured that they will ask the Attorney General (FGR) that former President Felipe Calderón be investigated for his relationship with Genaro García Luna.
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Former Mexican President Vicente Fox
“Continue Calderón, says Morena after ruling against García Luna, THE NEXT IS LOPEZ, FIRST OUT OF THE PALACE AND THEN IN THE JAIL!!” Tweeted Fox following the reading of the verdict and response from the Morena party members in Mexico.
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon
Former Mexican President Calderon reacted to Garcia Luna’s guilty verdict by issuing a statement in his defense against accusations of his involvement as well.
“I never negotiated or made pacts with criminals. I never used my presidential power to lobby for their interests…I’ve been the President who has acted most against organized crime…I fought all those who threatened Mexico, including, of course, the so-called Pacific Cartel. Proof of this is that the confessed criminals who have been used as witnesses were also, for the most part, persecuted, detained, and extradited by my government.”
Calderon had ordered several raids on drug traffickers in Michoacan and sent federal police and soldiers into areas such as Juarez, Tijuana Tamaulipas, Tabasco, and Guerrero upon his entering office in December 2006. This was seen as the start of the modern drug war in Mexico with the military and federal forces targeting the cartels instead of local and state police. It went so far as to disarm local police forces suspected of corruption with cartels. Several cartels were hit, but not Sinaloa at first.
Mexican President AMLO
During the President’s morning press conference, he addressed the news from the verdict against Luna and what could come next regarding the former official and past presidents.
“There is still the possibility that García Luna declares himself as a witness and I would say as president of Mexico for the good of the country, that he hopefully does so, in exchange for reporting on whether he received orders or informed the former presidents. Both Fox and Calderón.”
“What were his links with the United States authorities because he was even awarded by United States authorities and it cannot be that they did not know it either.
When asked if the Mexican government intends to request the extradition of Genaro García Luna, the president replied: “We are going to wait.”
The president reproached a lawsuit for which García Luna’s wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, received an injunction ordering the unfreezing of her accounts, previously blocked by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).
“But look at what the Judiciary, the magistrates, does. Today the ministers of the Court should pronounce themselves, at least the advisers of the Judiciary on this matter. The same day that they are declaring García Luna guilty, here they are resolving to unfreeze their accounts. They have to be pronounced.”
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| Luna’s wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, testified in his defense and is implicated in illegal contract schemes in Mexico based on a civil lawsuit filed against them in Miami, Florida. |
Pending Mexican Lawsuit in Miami
In a civil case in Miami, the former Secretary of Security is accused of leading a plot that stole funds from the Mexican Government through illegal contracts and then laundered those stolen funds in the United States and other places. García Luna had “an extensive network of partners” through which he obtained contracts from various entities and agencies of the Mexican government “for hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to the lawsuit.
The demand specifies that the amount to be recovered is $250 million, but the Mexican government has said that it is up to $700 million that he stole. Six of these partners are being sued in Miami as alleged launderers of stolen money mainly through the purchase of real estate and luxury items in Florida.
Garcia Luna’s wife, Linda Cristina Pereyra, who testified regarding the source of their wealth in his defense is also involved. According to the FIU, she actively participated in the schemes by being in charge of the daily operations of managing money, which “she knew had been stolen from the Mexican government,” through a series of companies in the United States and “to acquire multiple real estate properties in Florida.”
As the guilty verdict was read, her lawyers won an Amparo in Mexico to have her financial accounts unfrozen by the FIU. The Seventeenth Collegiate Court for Administrative Matters of the First Circuit of Mexico City revoked the ruling of the Twelfth Court denying the Amparo requested by García Luna’s wife against her inclusion on the List of Blocked Persons of December 2019, issued by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP).
Judge Rolando González Licona explained that the request for information from the US to Mexico does not meet the requirements of the criteria issued by the court.