On Thursday, Mexico extradited several of its most notorious drug lords to the United States, including a cartel kingpin wanted for decades for the murder of a U.S. undercover agent. The move aims to prevent broad trade tariffs, which former President Trump linked to illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
Among the 29 suspects handed over was Rafael Caro Quintero, accused of orchestrating the 1980s kidnapping, torture, and killing of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Caro Quintero, once on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list before his 2022 arrest, faces potential terrorism charges and the death penalty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The large-scale extradition comes as Mexico negotiates with Washington to avoid tariffs. Trump has classified multiple Latin American drug cartels as terrorist organizations, reinforcing his administration’s hardline stance.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the Justice Department’s commitment to dismantling these groups and prosecuting their members to the fullest extent of the law.
Former DEA operations chief Mike Vigil called the mass extradition “historic,” noting that Mexico typically extradites only a few suspects at a time. He suggested the move was intended to improve trade negotiations.
The DEA particularly welcomed Caro Quintero’s extradition, with acting administrator Derek S. Maltz calling it a deeply personal moment for the agency.
Other suspects included Omar and Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, former leaders of the violent Zetas cartel, as well as Vicente Carrillo, ex-leader of the Juárez cartel, and a brother of Nemesio Oseguera, head of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The announcement coincided with high-level talks in Washington between Mexican and U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both nations agreed to coordinate actions against drug trafficking, aiming to curb fentanyl-related deaths and illegal arms trade.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged cooperation with the U.S. while rejecting any threats to national sovereignty. She remains optimistic that tariffs can be avoided and has expressed interest in negotiating directly with Trump. Earlier in his term, Trump had announced tariffs of up to 25% on Mexican imports but temporarily suspended them after Sheinbaum committed to deploying 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump’s return to office in January included an executive order labeling drug cartels as a national security threat. This has sparked speculation about potential military action against them, which Sheinbaum opposes. Recently, she confirmed ongoing U.S. drone surveillance of Mexican cartels as part of long-standing cooperation. Mexican authorities have also intensified their efforts, announcing major drug seizures and arrests of key figures in the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the groups Trump designated as a terrorist organization.
