The former ambassador of the United States in Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, clarified her comments on Genaro García Luna, the former Secretary of Security sentenced to 38 years in prison. Jacobson distanced herself from having informed the government of Felipe Calderón about the ties of the Mexican official to drug trafficking.
In an interview, the former official stated that at no time was President Calderón informed that García Luna had been corrupt. Jacobson explained that the information that the United States possessed regarding García Luna's links to the Sinaloa Cartel came from U.S. officials but had been supplied by Mexican agents.
After the magazine Proceso revisited the interview conducted in 2020, in which Jacobson mentioned data collected by the United States about García Luna, the former ambassador decided to clarify her statements. In this regard, she assured that the Mexican government of Felipe Calderón was aware of the situation but did not take any action.
Jacobson emphasized that both Mexico and the United States were aware of García Luna's corruption, indicating that it would be naive to blame the United States for not acting sooner. The former ambassador underscored: 'We all know that GGL (Genaro García Luna) was indeed corrupt.'
For his part, former President Felipe Calderón has denied over the years having knowledge of García Luna's illicit activities. Calderón defended his security policy during his term, asserting that he would make the same decisions again in the so-called 'war on drugs.'
Roberta Jacobson's statements have generated controversy in Mexico, reigniting the debate about the relationships of Mexican officials with organized crime, and the responsibility of both governments in combating corruption in the security realm.
