Tag: mexico

FBI-Assisted Operation Rescues Kidnapped U.S. Citizen in Jalisco

Coordinated efforts between Mexican authorities and the FBI led to the safe recovery of an American citizen abducted in a remote mountainous region of Jalisco, Mexico.

A joint security operation involving Mexican federal and state authorities, supported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), resulted in the rescue of a kidnapped U.S. citizen in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. The victim was located alive in a rugged mountainous area between the municipalities of Ixtlahuacán del Río and Cuquío after intelligence-sharing and emergency coordination between both countries.

According to officials from the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office, the rescue mission began after the FBI submitted a formal alert and request for assistance to Mexican authorities regarding the disappearance and suspected kidnapping of the American citizen. Mexican security agencies quickly launched an operation involving ground units, aerial surveillance, and specialized tactical teams.

Authorities said the operation took place on the morning of May 22, 2026, in a difficult-to-access mountainous corridor in central Jalisco. Helicopters, including Black Hawk aircraft, were reportedly used to reach remote sections of the terrain where investigators believed the victim was being held.

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Paradise loved by Americans is rocked by serial killer investigation as three women are murdered weeks apart

A travel hotspot loved by American tourists has been plagued by fears of a possible serial killer after three women were found dead within 11 days. 

Police in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, are probing possible links between the killings after the latest victim’s body was discovered Thursday morning, Mexico News Daily reported.

On May 10, the first female victim was found near Rancho El Pirulí in Chimborazo. A second woman’s body was discovered five days later, at a roadside stop along the highway to Mismaloya. 

The latest victim’s body was uncovered in a dirt road in the Parque Las Palmas neighborhood.

All three women are believed to have been between 30 and 35 years old and were found partially undressed in isolated areas, according to preliminary information. 

Each victim had tattoos and has not yet been identified. 

The similarities in the cases have prompted investigators to explore whether the killings follow a pattern and whether a single suspect may be responsible. 

The most recent victim had identifiable tattoos that police believe may help with identification. 

The marks were located on her neck, hand, and arm, and consisted of a skull, a woman with horns, and a name. Her body also reportedly showed signs of violence, the outlet reported.

Unconfirmed reports of the recent victim’s identity emerged on social media, suggesting 22-year-old Elizabeth Martinez may be her identity.

Martinez is from the State of Mexico and was reported missing in April, and according to the State of Mexico’s Missing Persons Search Commission, her tattoos matched some of those found on the victim.

Police have not officially confirmed the latest victim’s identity, but reports suggest relatives of a missing woman may travel to Puerto Vallarta on Friday to determine if she is their family member.

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The Trump Administration Is Facing Scrutiny for How It’s Handing Out Billion-Dollar Border Wall Contracts

When Tommy Fisher set out to build a section of border wall in South Texas during the first Trump administration, the project quickly became ensnared in controversy. Experts raised concerns about shoddy construction and signs of erosion.

Beyond that, Fisher’s company had received funding from a group called We Build the Wall, an influential conservative nonprofit that included President Donald Trump’s then-political strategist Steve Bannon as a board member. Some of its leaders eventually went to prison for their involvement in the venture.

Even the president denounced the project.

“I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads,” Trump wrote on X in response to reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune in 2020 detailing problems with the wall project.

“It was only done to make me look bad,” the post continued.

But none of this stopped Fisher’s company from getting subsequent border wall contracts, including from the state of Texas. And now the federal government has awarded his company over $9 billion to build even more border wall — including a $1.2 billion contract in the Big Bend region of Texas, where residents have continued to press for answers about the government’s plans in and around one of the country’s largest national parks.

And, as during Trump’s first term, Fisher’s work is stirring up controversy again. A New York-based construction company has sued the Trump administration after it awarded the bulk of new Texas border wall contracts to North Dakota-headquartered Fisher Sand & Gravel and another company.

Posillico Civil Inc.’s lawsuit, filed in the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C., on May 13, offers one of the first public glimpses into the procurement process along the border in Texas. The suit claims that out of the 11 prequalified vendors for the wall projects, U.S. Customs and Border Protection awarded nearly $14 billion — about 73% of the value of the contracts — to just two: Fisher’s firm and Barnard Construction, based in Montana. The work also includes wall projects around El Paso, Laredo, Del Rio and the Rio Grande Valley.

The Trump administration has come under scrutiny for awarding no-bid contracts and for the lack of transparency around its accelerated border wall construction plans, moves designed to help the president achieve his key campaign promise of securing the border.

During his first term, Trump’s moves also faced criticism. A 2020 investigation by ProPublica and the Tribune found that the government was awarding contracts before acquiring titles to the land, leading to millions of dollars in costs related to delays. A review of federal spending data by the news organizations also revealed how the first Trump administration had made hundreds of contract modifications, increasing the cost of the border wall project by billions.

The administration has shown no signs of slowing down: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security secured $46.5 billion to build the border wall in 2025, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

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Cartel-Linked Mexican Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazárez ARRESTED in San Diego – Conspired with Sinaloa Cartel’s Los Chapitos to Flood America with Deadly Fentanyl and Drugs in Exchange for BRIBES and Political Protection

Sinaloa Senator Enrique Inzunza Cazárez, a high-ranking member of Mexico’s ruling socialist Morena party, has been ARRESTED in San Diego after turning himself in to U.S. federal authorities.

The cartel-connected politician, 53, was taken into custody by the Drug Enforcement Administration on charges of narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess the same, according to multiple Mexican news outlets and U.S. court documents.

Inzunza Cazárez was one of 10 current and former Sinaloa officials hit with a massive federal indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York back on April 29.

US prosecutors allege the defendants conspired with the Sinaloa cartel to import narcotics into the United States in exchange for political support and bribes.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.

“As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa Cartel, and other drug trafficking organizations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll. The support of corrupt foreign officials for deadly trafficking of drugs must end. Let these charges send a clear message to all officials around the globe who work with narco-traffickers: no matter your title or position, we are committed to bringing you to justice.”

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REPORT: CIA is Waging a Secret Assassination Campaign Against Mexican Cartels

The CIA has significantly expanded covert operations against Mexican drug cartels, including alleged involvement in targeted lethal missions inside Mexico.

According to a report from CNN, the CIA were involved in the March 28th killing of Francisco Beltran, an alleged mid-level Sinaloa Cartel operative known as “El Payin.”

Beltran died when an explosive device hidden inside his vehicle detonated on a major highway outside Mexico City.

Mexican officials confirmed the blast was caused by a device placed in the car, while sources told CNN the operation involved CIA personnel.

Since 2025, the CIA’s elite Ground Branch unit has taken a more direct role in anti-cartel operations, moving beyond intelligence sharing into operational support and targeted strikes.

The escalation follows President Trump’s designation of major Mexican cartels, including Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, as foreign terrorist organizations.

The report also states that the CIA has increased surveillance operations over Mexico and expanded its ground presence, though the number of operatives remains relatively small.

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19-year-old Padres prospect self-deports to Mexico after pleading guilty to human smuggling charge

Humberto Cruz, a high-ranking pitching prospect for the San Diego Padres, has reportedly self-deported to Mexico after pleading guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge involving the transportation of illegal aliens.

According to reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune, the now-19-year-old athlete, who was ranked as the organization’s fifth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, admitted to authorities that he had responded to a social media advertisement seeking drivers to “pick up people for easy money.”

Cruz disclosed that he was offered $1,000 per person and acknowledged his awareness that the individuals were in the country illegally. While Cruz was initially in the United States on a legal work visa, the conviction triggered a near-certain deportation process and long-term consequences for his professional career.

Legal experts and team officials indicate that Cruz will likely be barred from reapplying for a U.S. work visa for at least ten years, though he may be eligible to petition for a return after five years — provided he demonstrates consistent good behavior during his time abroad.

The legal proceedings stem from an incident in October last year, when law enforcement officers stopped the pitcher in Lukeville, Arizona, on suspicion of transporting illegal aliens into the United States. Following his guilty plea, Cruz was sentenced to 30 days in prison, a term satisfied by the credit he received for time already served in custody.

In a lengthy statement released through the San Diego Padres organization, Cruz expressed deep remorse for his actions and offered an extensive apology for the lapse in judgment that led to his arrest and subsequent deportation.

“To my teammates, the organization, our fans, and my family, I want to express my sincere regret for a recent lapse in judgment that has caused disappointment to many people I deeply respect,” he began in the statement. “I understand that my actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a professional and as a representative of this organization. I take responsibility for my conduct and recognize the impact it has had on my teammates, the club, and those who support us.

“To my teammates and coaches, I apologize for becoming a distraction and for not upholding the level of professionalism you deserve,” he continued. “To the fans, I am sorry for letting you down and for failing to meet the trust placed in me. Your support means a great deal, and I regret not honoring it in the way I should have. To my family, I am grateful for your continued support and understanding during this difficult time.

“I regret the stress and disappointment this situation has caused. I am committed to reflecting on this moment, learning from it, and taking the appropriate steps to move forward in a positive and responsible manner. I will cooperate fully with the organization and any steps required of me, as I remain focused on personal growth and accountability. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with support and honesty. I understand that trust must be earned, and I am prepared to do that through my actions going forward.”

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Locals Protest Mexican Government’s Unwillingness to Stop Gulf Cartel Targeting Innocents

Dozens of residents in the cartel-controlled city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, took a high risk by holding a protest, blocking one of the area’s main avenues, and asking to be able to live in peace. The protest follows an attack by gunmen from the Gulf Cartel that led to the murder of two innocent citizens with complete impunity, while the Tamaulipas government claims that the state is one of the safest in the nation.

This week, residents in Reynosa held hands as they blocked Hidalgo Boulevard, one of the city’s main arteries, demanding peace. The peaceful protest lasted for a short while as passing motorists honked and cheered in support. The move came just one day after a group of gunmen with the Gulf Cartel shot and killed two victims in a brazen daytime attack.

The attack also took place along Boulevard Hidalgo when the gunmen pulled up next to a motorist and began shooting. The male victim got down and tried to run away, but died in a hail of bullets. The gunmen were able to drive off with complete impunity. Some of those bullets also struck a young teen girl who was on her way to school. Her parents tried to rush her to a local hospital, but the girl died soon after.

Preliminary information points to the gunmen having killed the male motorist for having tried to sell a vehicle without paying a fee or tax to the criminal organization. Breitbart Texas has reported extensively on the reign of terror spread by the Gulf Cartel, where the criminal organization collects extortion fees from average citizens for most business endeavors.

The shootings sparked much outrage within the city, where residents began pressuring the local mayor and dared to become widely outspoken about the poor security conditions in the region.

By Friday evening, after much pressure from various protests and local news outlets, the Tamaulipas government issued a prepared statement claiming that they had arrested seven individuals in connection with the shooting. As with other cases in the past, the arrests focus on low-level gunmen, with government officials rarely targeting the leadership of the top Gulf Cartel, who are the ones that impose the extortion fees and have the protection of top-level government officials.

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Feds Charge Sinaloa’s Governor, Senator, Mayor, & Other Top Officials With Running A Narco-State

Federal prosecutors in New York have charged ten current and former senior Mexican government officials — among them the sitting governor of Sinaloa, a sitting federal senator, the mayor of the state capital, and the state’s former secretary of public security — with conspiring to protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s most powerful faction in exchange for millions of dollars in drug money, in what may be the most sweeping corruption indictment ever brought against a sitting government in the Western Hemisphere.

The superseding indictment, filed in the Southern District of New York and unsealed Wednesday, charges all ten defendants with narcotics importation conspiracy — specifically, conspiracy to flood the United States with fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine — as well as conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of drug trafficking.

One defendant, a municipal police commander, faces additional charges of kidnapping resulting in death: the alleged abduction and murder of a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source, his relative, and a 13-year-old boy, carried out using a police patrol car.

The document does not describe a cartel that corrupted a government. It describes a government that became the cartel’s operating infrastructure.

In what appears to be the first instance in American legal history of the Justice Department indicting a sitting Mexican governor, prosecutors allege that Ruben Rocha Moya, 76, who has served as governor of Sinaloa since November 2021, did not simply accept cartel money. He allegedly made his deal with the Chapitos — the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — before he was ever elected, in a meeting guarded by Cartel sicarios armed with machineguns, and delivered on every term thereafter.

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Mexico’s Sheinbaum demands explanation after US officials die after operation in Chihuahua

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday she would demand explanations over what U.S. and Mexican officials were doing in northern Chihuahua when they died in an accident over the weekend, noting that any joint collaborations between the local government and the U.S. without federal permission would be a violation of Mexican law.

The crash, following an operation to destroy a clandestine drug lab in a rural area, has reignited a debate over the extent of U.S. involvement in Mexican security operations. Speculation was only fueled by Sheinbaum, local officials and the U.S. Embassy appearing to contradict each other and at times themselves, and offering sparse details about the U.S. officials who died.

“It was not an operation that the security cabinet was aware of,” Sheinbaum told journalists. “We were not informed; it was a decision by the Chihuahua government.”

It comes at a key moment for the relationship between the two neighboring nations as Mexico faces escalating pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump crack down on cartels and Sheinbaum underscores Mexico’s sovereignty.

Sheinbaum said her government would investigate the incident to ensure no laws were broken after the deaths on Sunday, adding that state governments must have authorization from Mexico’s federal government to collaborate with U.S. and other foreign entities “as established by the Constitution.”

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Mexico Speeds Up Biometric ID Rollout

Mexico’s government wants you to believe that handing over your fingerprints, iris scans, and facial data is voluntary. President Claudia Sheinbaum has said so publicly.

But by July 2026, every one of the country’s roughly 130 million mobile phone lines must be linked to a biometric national ID, and unregistered numbers get suspended on July 1.

Refuse the biometric credential and lose your phone.

The CURP Biométrica upgrades Mexico’s existing population registry code, the Clave Única de Registro de Población, from an 18-character alphanumeric string into something far more personal. The updated system captures face, fingerprint, and iris biometrics, packages them with a QR code and digital signature, and produces what amounts to a mobile-readable identity document tied to your body.

Registration happens at RENAPO and Civil Registry offices, where staff scan all ten fingerprints, both irises, take a facial photograph, and record a digital signature. You’ll need a valid photo ID, a certified CURP, and an original or certified birth certificate just to walk in.

The government has framed this primarily as a tool for addressing Mexico’s crisis of forced disappearances. The biometric data feeds into a Unified Identity Platform connecting the National Population Registry with the National Forensic Data Bank and records held by prosecutors and intelligence agencies, enabling real-time identity searches. That’s the stated purpose.

The actual system being built does considerably more than locate missing people. The legislation gives broad access to biometric and personal information to law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and the National Guard, and the law doesn’t require authorities to notify citizens when their data gets accessed. You won’t know who’s looking at your biometrics, or why, or how often.

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