US Court Sentences Former Mexican Security Chief Over Cartel Bribes
US Court Sentences Former Mexican Security Chief Over Cartel Bribes
The Facts
US District Judge Brian Cogan sentenced Genaro García Luna, Mexico's security chief between 2006 and 2012, to 460 months — or more than 38 years — in jail and a $2M fine on Wednesday.
Federal prosecutors had sought life imprisonment for the chief architect and public face of Mexico's war on drugs under the presidency of Felipe Calderón after he was found guilty of aiding cartels in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.
The Spin
The conviction and sentencing of García Luna marks a watershed moment in Mexico's fight against drugs and corruption, exposing the profound betrayal at the highest levels of Mexican law enforcement. This case validates long-held suspicions about state collusion with drug cartels — potentially forcing Mexico to reckon with its costly and controversial war on drugs.
A dedicated family man and law enforcement official who spent his career fighting crime, García Luna was brought down by the testimony of convicted criminals seeking revenge or lighter sentences. Given that prosecutors presented no documentary evidence to corroborate claims of bribery, this lawsuit raises troubling questions about the reliability of evidence in high-profile drug cases.
