Two former Mexican officials accused of taking bribes and conspiring with drug cartels have surrendered themselves to U.S. authorities.
Gerardo Mérida Sánchez, 66, formerly the secretary of public security for the Mexican state of Sinaloa, appeared in Arizona on federal charges last week, Reuters reported. He did not enter a plea and his next court date is June 1. Former Sinaloa finance minister Enrique Diaz also surrendered to U.S. authorities.
The pair are among the ten current and former Mexican officials facing U.S. federal charges that accuse them of working with cartels. All of them face potential life sentences.
"As alleged, each of the defendants has participated in a corrupt and violent drug trafficking conspiracy with the Cartel to import massive amounts of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States," U.S. federal prosecutors have alleged.
Others indicted include Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, who has announced that he is taking a leave of absence from his position while the case is pending. Rocha Moya is a political ally of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and a member of her political party, Morena.
Rocha Moya has denied any wrongdoing, while Sheinbaum has promised an investigation into the allegations. Sheinbaum also confirmed that the assets of those facing charges had been frozen, but she characterized it as a typical action financial institutions take in such situations, Reuters reported.
"Given that there is an arrest warrant in the United States against 10 people, the banks here - because they have relationships with banks there - take a series of measures," Sheinbaum told Reuters.
Sheinbaum previously said that Mexico would not cover for anyone who had committed a crime and would thoroughly investigate the allegations. However, she also said that Mexico would not tolerate charges it considered to be politically motivated.
"If it is evident that the Justice Department's charges are politically motivated, let there be absolutely no doubt: under no circumstances will we allow a foreign government to interfere in decisions that are the exclusive prerogative of the Mexican people," Sheinbaum said.
