US President for Life Donald Trump’s excursions, and accompanying bravado, into the Venezuelan drug trade completely bypasses the Mexican Cartel War. Mexico is right next door, cartel violence is driving people to flee to US borders, fentanyl from Mexico kills American people. Venezuela isn’t a higher priority than Mexican citizens dying at the hands of these gangs of thugs (Council on Foreign Relations). It also takes attention away from the Epstein Files
From January 2021
On October 15th, 2020, DEA agents arrested Mexican General Salvador Cienfuegos, allegedly a member of El Sindicado ( The Syndicate). Military officers with overwhelming influence that supposedly “tolerate” the elected government.
US agents had determined that he was “El Padrino” of the H-2 Cartel. He was in charge of the government’s anti drug cartel effort and at the same time running a cartel. How convenient. It’s a similar situation to that of Genaro Garcia Luna who was the Mexican Secretary of Public Security. He accepted bribes from Jesus Zambada García, El Chapo’s brother, to the tune of $6 million.
The US held Cienfuegos until the 18th when, by request of the Mexican government, Donald Trump‘s Attorney General William Barr dropped the charges and handed him off to Mexican authorities. Barr said he was promised the investigation would continue by the Mexican government.
In late December the Mexican government moved to restrict DEA agents immunity while operating in their borders. This action ended the long standing cooperative effort of the US and Mexico in the fight against drug cartels.
On the 14th of January, the Mexican government exonerated him of all charges (New York Times). This was an “unexpected” about face from their promise the general would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In a statement on Friday, the Justice Department said, “The United States reserves the right to recommence its prosecution of Cienfuegos if the Government of Mexico fails to do so.” They failed to do so. We have yet to see Cienfuegos face justice.