President of Mexico: Mexico did not threaten the United States with removing its intelligence agents

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Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that Mexico did not threaten the United States with removing its intelligence agents from the national territory, if the drug trafficking charges against the former Secretary of National Defense, Salvador Cienfuegos, were not dismissed.

He said, now they are saying that we are threatening. We did not threaten anyone, all we did was, through diplomatic channels, express our disagreement and it was understood very well, and it was resolved in this first instance.

Mexican president said, until the New York Times, they were wrong because we did not threaten to expel the agents, we said we want the cooperation agreements to be informed and respected, and those cooperation agreements have support, and that support is trust.

This Wednesday the US newspaper published that if the United States did not reconsider its search for Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda , a former head of the National Defense accused of drug trafficking in that country, Mexican officials would expel agents of the DEA (Drug Control Administration.

Since Cienfuegos was arrested last October 15, the highest levels of the Mexican government were outraged for not having known about the case . They considered it to be an egregious breach of trust between allies .

The US media published, those emotions reached a peak in recent days, when Mexico City issued an unprecedented warning to its counterparts in Washington: If the United States did not reconsider its search for Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, Mexico would consider expelling US federal drug agents from the country jeopardizing a decades long partnership that has helped bring several drug lords to justice, according to three people familiar with the matter.

López Obrador assured that cooperation with the United States government continues, but that mutual respect is maintained and agreements are fulfilled.

He said, it is not the intention to break with the collaboration, it is only that mutual respect is maintained and that agreements are fulfilled. The cooperation continues with the United States government, with the Department of Justice, the cooperation work continues, it is not the intention to break with the cooperation, it is only that mutual respect is maintained and that agreements are fulfilled, I think it is quite clear from this matter of General Cienfuegos. Nothing that we are going to carry out an operation to introduce weapons to Mexico without the knowledge of the president or with the authorization of the president; none of that, those operations like Fast and Furious, that interference that violates our sovereignty never again, of course cooperation and I say it again, this has been understood very well during the administration of President Donald Trump

The Mexican president reiterated that cooperation with the United States continues but that the agreements are complied with and there is mutual respect but he made it clear that foreign agencies cannot be allowed to judge Mexicans if there is no evidence.

López Obrador said, foreign agencies cannot be allowed to judge Mexicans if there is no evidence, there is also a cooperation agreement that must be respected as it is possible that there is a collaboration agreement in this matter and we do not find out that the general is going to be arrested. Cienfuegos or whoever .because they don't trust us, we could say the same thing we don't trust them that's why I think it is a fact that reaffirms that we are a free sovereign country and we also have to thank that that is how the authorities in the United States have understood it.

The Mexican Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón, reported this Thursday on the deportation of the former Secretary of National Defense, Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, which occurred yesterday afternoon, after a federal judge from the United States dismissed the charges for drug trafficking, for whom he had been arrested last October 15 in Los Angeles, California.

The Secretary of Foreign Relations read the statement issued by the Attorney General's Office, informing that the retired general had already arrived in Mexican territory, and that he was notified of the investigation that the prosecution is carrying out against him.

Ebrard stressed that the United States federal judge decided in a favorable direction to the request of the US Department of Justice and said it is because of the trust and cooperation that exists between both nations.

The Mexican Foreign Minister said, there is confidence in both the United States and Mexico that the corresponding investigation will be an investigation with the highest standards of effectiveness and honesty and with that confidence they support the Attorney General's Office (FGR ) and the Judicial Power of Mexico which seems to us something very significant, also coming from the judicial authorities of the United States.

Ebrard affirmed that the investigation carried out by the FGR on the case of General Salvador Cienfuegos, recently transferred from the United States, is at the height of the prestige of Mexico and the dignity of the country. The position of Mexico, which is to defend its dignity and its institutions, and our armed forces, yes, defend dignity but in no way allow impunity. Mexico has done that, defend its dignity and prestige and justice must also be done in accordance with Mexican law, the investigations that the FGR will carry out.

On this basis, the bases that should guide cooperation with the two countries are ratified, if there is any investigation, investigation, indication of corruption of corruption with crime; that the Mexican authority be made aware that Mexico will know how to apply the law. That those who are responsible, in their case, according to our laws, be tried, prosecuted and sentenced in Mexico, by Mexico and not in other countries, stated by Ebrard Casaubón.

Salvador Cienfuegos, Secretary of Defense in the government of Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018), arrived in Mexico wednesday, after the charges were dismissed in the United States at the request of Mexico, where he allegedly committed drug trafficking and money laundering crimes.

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the decision of the US judge to dismiss the charges"supports the FGR and the judiciary of Mexico something that has no precedent.

He said, we have no doubt that the FGR will carry out, under the direction of Dr. (Alejandro) Gertz Manero, an investigation worthy of the prestige of Mexico and the dignity of our country.

Ebrard reiterated that Mexico's position is to defend its dignity, its institutions and the armed forces without allowing impunity in no way.

The foregoing, in a clear message to the United States, which did not notify Mexico of the detention of Cienfuegos on US soil.

The basis of international cooperation is that if there is any investigative investigation, an indication of corruption, collusion, with crime, let the Mexican authority know that Mexico will know how to apply the law.

For his part, President Andrés Manuel López Obrado r stated that it is up to the Judiciary to define whether Cienfuegos is guilty or not.

He said, without impunity but without crimes being fabricated. Not because it is about agencies or judicial instances of other countries and they are the possessors of rectitude and justice, he indicated about the charges that the United States imputed to the former Secretary of Defense.