According to Dr Raul Benítez-Manaut of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, “EL Sindicado” pulls a lot of weight in the country (The Daily Beast). Enough weight to get General Salvador Cienfuegos released from the US where he was arrested for taking bribes as a government official (Blog). On the 17th he was released from custody and sent back to Mexico. The General used his position to assist and direct the activities of a drug cartel.

El Sindicado (The Syndicate) is made up of Mexican military officers who operate with impunity according to sources in the article. They do not try to run the country as much as run their own enterprises while the civilian government is “allowed” to exist. A similar situation exists in Burma (Blog). Cienfuegos is not the first official to be arrested for involvement in cartel activity. Related Blog.

It seems the Mexican military does not like having it’s image tarnished. Some of it’s higher ranking members are behind cartel activity which has been on the increase. Attorney General Barr persuaded the judge to release Cienfuegos to the Mexican authorities where he said it was understood the General would be prosecuted.