The Trump administration has revoked the visas of at least 50 Mexican officials over alleged cartel ties, according to a new report.
A new Reuters piece sheds light on the extent of visa revocations, considering just a few of the cases have been discussed publicly. All officials belong to the ruling Morena party.
The outlet spoke to three former U.S. ambassadors who said previous administration have revoked visas in the past, but not to this extent.
“The Trump administration is finding new ways to exert more pressure on Mexico,” Tony Wayne, U.S. ambassador to Mexico between 2011 and 2015, told the outlet.
The outlet said it couldn’t figure out whose visas had been revoked. Only four confirmed they were included in the crackdown, included Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Avila.
Avila and her husband, a former congressman, had their U.S. visas revoked earlier this year. Ávila, a member of Morena, did not indicate a specific reason for the U.S. decision but characterized the situation as part of a “complex binational context” requiring “composure and prudence.”
Moreover, another report noted that Senate credentials were granted to leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel who were listed as “advisers” linked to the Labor Party (PT) — a left-wing political group currently holding 49 deputies and nine senators in Mexico’s legislature.
Journalist María Idalia Gómez, who in August spoke during a panel discussion with Carmen Aristegui and Anabel Hernández on Aristegui Noticias, claimed that more than 20 Senate credentials were issued by the Labor Party to members and leaders associated with Los Chapitos, the Sinaloa Cartel faction led by the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
As reported by Infobae México, the credentials identified cartel associates as advisers to the PT, though Gómez did not specify during which legislative session they were issued.
Gómez added that the investigation involves undercover U.S. agents who successfully infiltrated the Sinaloa Cartel. The evidence, she added, includes copies, photographs and videos now in the hands of U.S. intelligence agencies.
She also noted that the credentials contained photos of the holders and, in some cases, names that did not match their true identities. Investigators are now working to determine who facilitated the issuance of the documents and how individuals linked to organized crime were able to access official government identification.
While most of the evidence points to links with the Labor Party, Gómez said individuals from other political parties — including the ruling Morena party and the opposition National Action Party (PAN) — are also under scrutiny.
Originally published on Latin Times
