This Thursday, the transfer to the United States of the Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero took place, who at one time was one of the most wanted drug traffickers by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This event occurs in the context of pressures from the government of President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Mexico. The trafficking of fentanyl, migrants, and security are the pending issues that have motivated these pressures on Mexico and Canada.
Rafael Caro Quintero, 72 years old, was extradited after his second arrest in July 2020. He was detained for 20 months in a prison in the State of Mexico. Known as the "narco of narcos" in the 1980s, his transfer comes at a critical moment when the trafficking of arms and fentanyl represent serious problems in the United States.
It is speculated that Caro Quintero's extradition is part of a set of security measures between both countries, such as the handover of high-profile drug traffickers to demonstrate collaboration with the Trump administration. Caro Quintero was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena and the Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala in 1985, and he is attributed with the nickname "narco of narcos."
His criminal history is surrounded by legends, including the accumulation of a fortune close to 500 million dollars. Despite having been arrested and sentenced previously, he was released in 2013 after the charges against him were dismissed. However, an error in the process for the homicide of Camarena annulled the sentence, which ultimately triggered his recapture and subsequent extradition.
On February 22, a court confirmed a suspension that prevented the transfer of Caro Quintero to the United States until his extradition process was resolved. However, this Thursday, the transfer operation took place, described as "unprecedented" by sources from the Mexican government.
