AMLO: The DEA should investigate who made the Cienfuegos file

The judicial file of Salvador Cienfuegos in the US 2:22

(CNN Spanish) -

The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said this Friday that the United States Drug Control Administration (DEA) should carry out an internal investigation to determine how the drugs were collected. evidence in the case of Salvador Cienfuegos, former Secretary of Defense of Mexico.

“I am not going to go to any international organization, but yes, with all due respect, I believe that that organization [DEA], that agency should do an investigation inside and clarify what happened.

Who made this file, who gave the order to apply it.

Because credibility is at stake, "said López Obrador in his morning press conference.

General Cienfuegos was detained on October 15, 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport.

A court in the Eastern District of New York charged him with allegedly abusing his public position to help a Mexican cartel smuggle drugs into the United States in exchange for bribes.

Cienfuegos has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

• MIRA: López Obrador lies, we do not manufacture evidence against Cienfuegos, says former director of operations of the DEA

Last November, the Justice Department dropped the charges against the general.

The judge in the case, Carol Bagley Amon, announced the decision to dismiss the criminal charges filed against the former secretary to allow Mexico to investigate the former federal official.

Mexico's decision on Cienfuegos

Last week, Mexico's Attorney General's Office said it would not carry out criminal actions against Cienfuegos.

In a statement, he explained that after reviewing the evidence and carrying out investigations, no indications of illicit acts were obtained by the former official.

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Hours after the announcement by the Prosecutor's Office, López Obrador assured that his government supported the decision.

AMLO endorses exoneration of former minister 1:06

Following the Mexican government's announcement last week, the Justice Department said in a statement that it felt "deeply disappointed" by the decision not to prosecute Cienfuegos.

He added that "they remained firm in their investigation and the charges made."

• MIRA: Exoneration to Cienfuegos is a slap from Mexico to the US and the DEA, according to an analyst

The Department added that the case against the former official "was not fabricated."

A DEA spokeswoman told CNN on Friday that they would not comment on the Mexican president's remarks.

López Obrador Salvador Cienfuegos