US & Mexican Officials Respond to Garcia Luna's Guilty Verdict

 "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.

Shortly after Genaro Garcia Luna was convicted on all counts of conspiracy to traffic narcotics and participating in a continuing criminal enterprise with the Sinaloa/BLO cartels; responses from Mexican officials including former presidents and current lawmakers poured in.

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.

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. 

"It is unconscionable that the defendant betrayed his duty as Secretary of Public Security by greedily accepting millions of dollars in bribe money that was stained by the blood of Cartel wars and drug-related battles in the streets of the United States and Mexico, in exchange for protecting those murderers and traffickers he was solemnly sworn to investigate. Today's verdict is a shining light for the rule of law, right over wrong, and justice over injustice for all those who have suffered as a result of the defendant's deplorable crimes."

"Today's conviction of Genaro Garcia Luna clearly shows that [the] DEA will stop at nothing to pursue corrupt political officials who engage in drug trafficking," federal prosecutors said in their official statement.

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.

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.

On his Twitter account, several replies were made showing pictures of Luna and Fox together and reminded him that "El Chapo's" first escape in 2001 occurred at the beginning of his Presidential term.

Former President Fox has been a vocal critic of current President AMLO. During the trial, the defense mistakenly stated that "El Rey" had testified that $7 million was provided to the 2006 presidential campaign of AMLO by the Sinaloa Cartel. "El Rey" Zambada corrected the attorney stating that he had not. “They said it was for a political campaign, but not for López Obrador,” explained “El Rey”. A sidebar was called by the Judge and the line of questioning was dropped. 

Former President Fox has himself been investigated by the FIU for financial irregularities.

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.

Calderon's name rarely came up during court testimony. The main accusation stems from the testimony of former Nayarit Prosecutor Veytia, who described how the Nayarit governor at the time supposedly had a meeting with Calderon and said they had to "protect Chapo's people."  

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.

The President urged the former Secretary of Security to confess whether the actions for which he was found guilty in the United States were known or directly ordered by Felipe Calderón or Vicente Fox.

“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.

“It is important to know more, why did Calderón have it for six years? He never saw anything unusual? What orders did he give him?"

“Hopefully and Calderón, before García Luna does it if he makes that decision, he will explain. And also Fox, because he comes from the AFI.”

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."

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.

Sources DOJ, Keegan Hamilton, Ioan Grillo, Jesus Garcia, La Silla Rota, Proceso, Proceso, The Interceptor, GOB.mx