The president of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, continues to receive recognition from officials in the Donald Trump administration. On this occasion, Kash Patel, director of the FBI, thanked the Mexican authorities for the capture and delivery of 'El Veterano', one of the 10 most wanted criminals by the United States and presumed leader of the Mara Salvatrucha.
Omar García Harfuch, the city’s Secretary of Security, explained that the capture of 'El Veterano' was possible thanks to international cooperation. The FBI had offered a reward of $250,000 for information leading to his capture, and thanks to intelligence work by the Mexican government, he was located in the town of Baxtla, where he was finally detained.
According to Patel, "This is a great victory for our law enforcement partners and for a safer United States." For his part, Román Bardales, charged with violent crimes, drug distribution, and extortion in the Eastern District Court of New York, faces charges related to crimes similar in severity to those of 'El Veterano'.
It is noteworthy that Mara Salvatrucha was declared a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration last February. The collaboration between Mexican and U.S. authorities has been crucial in the fight against this and other criminal organizations.
The detention of 'El Veterano', whose real name is Francisco Javier Román Bardales, took place on March 17 in Veracruz, thanks to a joint operation by soldiers and federal agents. His swift delivery to the United States occurs in a context where Mexico has intensified actions against drug trafficking and organized crime.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has worked to demonstrate to Donald Trump the cooperation and commitment of Mexico in matters of security and migration, which has helped reduce the threat of tariffs from the United States. In this sense, the delivery of criminal leaders like 'El Veterano' reinforces the message that Mexico is a reliable ally in the region.
