International
López Obrador uses García Luna case to attack former presidents
February 24 |
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday that he expects former Public Security Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna, found guilty in the United States of accepting bribes from drug cartels, to testify whether he received orders from former presidents Felipe Calderon and Vicente Fox, strong critics of his government.
During his morning conference, López Obrador said he hopes that after the verdict García Luna will testify as a witness and inform whether he obeyed orders from the former presidents “or informed the former presidents” of his actions.
During Calderón’s administration (2006-2012) García Luna directed security policy, while during Fox’s administration (2000-2006) he headed the now defunct Federal Investigation Agency.
The President stated that it would also be favorable for Mexico and the United States that García Luna informs about his links with the US authorities.
López Obrador ruled out that the case of García Luna, the first high-ranking Mexican ex-official to be tried in a U.S. court, could affect Mexico’s image, and indicated that it will help “continue cleaning up corruption”, which has been one of his slogans during his administration that began in 2018. “It must remain for us as a lesson that these facts must never be repeated again,” he added.
Referring to the statement released by Calderón hours after the verdict -in which he distanced himself from the actions of his former security collaborator-, López Obrador said that the former president went off on a “tangent” by not answering questions about the case.
“What is the explanation you are going to give to the people of Mexico about why you appointed García Luna and if you knew or didn’t know?” he added.
The governor also took the opportunity to criticize the opposition National Action Party (PAN), which Calderón and Fox joined, and the Judicial Power for the sentence in favor of the ex-secretary’s wife, Linda Pereyra Gálvez, to unblock a bank account that had been frozen for more than three years after a process initiated by the Attorney General’s Office against her for the crime of operations with resources of illicit origin.
García Luna, 54, was found guilty on Tuesday by an anonymous jury in a New York federal court of participating in an ongoing criminal enterprise and could be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 27.
Hours after the announcement of the verdict Calderón said in a statement that the García Luna case does not demerit the struggle of thousands of police, military, prosecutors, judges and other public servants and assured that in the polarized environment in Mexico, the sanction of the former secretary “is already being used politically to attack me”.
“I never negotiated or made pacts with criminals. I never used the presidential investiture to advocate for their interests,” said Calderón in defending his administration and added that he fought all criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, which witnesses testified in the trial was protected by García Luna in exchange for bribes.
The former president added that he had the support and recognition of the United States in the framework of security cooperation initiatives.
On the repercussions that the verdict could bring Ruben Salazar, director of the local political analysis and strategy firm Etellekt Consultores, told The Associated Press that the information and judicial actions that will come after the verdict will cause a “schism” that could reach many authorities and politicians of all forces, including the ruling party.
“It is not a trial against García Luna, but against Mexican narco-politics,” Salazar said, adding that “the entire political class is trembling right now” because they fear that the United States could also initiate proceedings against them.
International
China urges immediate release of Maduro, seeks emergency UN security council meeting
China on Monday called for the release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by the United States during a military operation in Caracas, warning that Washington’s use of force poses a risk to peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing that Beijing is “gravely concerned” about the detention of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and urged the United States to “ensure their personal safety” while they remain outside Venezuela and to proceed with their “immediate release.”
Lin stated that Washington’s actions “clearly violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” as well as the “purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.” He accused the United States of engaging in a “blatant use of force” against a sovereign country and of carrying out actions that, according to Beijing, “undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty.”
The spokesperson stressed that such actions “threaten peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean,” a region China considers a “zone of peace.” He reiterated China’s opposition to the use or threat of force in international relations and to what he described as practices of “hegemonic bullying.”
In several responses to reporters, Lin insisted that Washington must “cease efforts to undermine the Venezuelan government” and resolve the crisis “through dialogue and negotiation.”
China, he added, “supports convening an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council” to address the situation and backs the body in fulfilling its responsibilities in accordance with its mandate.
Asked about contacts between Beijing and Caracas following Maduro’s capture, Lin said China “respects Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence” and trusts that the country will “handle its internal affairs in accordance with its Constitution and laws,” without confirming any direct communication with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who has assumed the role of interim head of the Venezuelan executive.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Lin noted that “energy cooperation is cooperation between sovereign states” and is “protected by international law and the laws of the countries involved.”
International
Delcy Rodríguez, key figure in U.S.-Venezuela transition, remains under EU sanctions
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with overseeing the new bilateral relationship and is positioned to lead the transition, is among 69 individuals sanctioned by the European Union for actions undermining democracy and the rule of law, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and political opposition in the country.
The EU first imposed sanctions in November 2017, with Rodríguez added to the list in June 2018. These measures include asset freezes, bans on receiving funds, and a prohibition on entering the European Union. On December 15, 2025, EU foreign ministers decided to extend these sanctions until January 10, 2027, citing “persistent actions that undermine democracy and the rule of law, as well as human rights violations and repression of civil society and democratic opposition.”
Other officials on the sanctions list include Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, former National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena, former National Guard Commander Antonio Benavides, Attorney General Tarek William Saab, and former Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno, the latter of whom was removed from the list following a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
On July 14, 2021, the CJEU rejected Rodríguez’s appeal, confirming her responsibility in Venezuela’s institutional erosion. Appeals from other senior officials were also dismissed, though the court accepted Moreno’s appeal, citing insufficient grounds from the European Council to sanction him.
Rodríguez was also involved in a diplomatic controversy in January 2020, when she made a stopover at Madrid Airportand met with then-Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos in the transit area, despite being barred from entering Europe. The encounter sparked debate in Spain and reached the European Parliament, which questioned whether the Spanish government had violated the sanctions regime. The European Commission clarified it has no authority to sanction member states, and Madrid prosecutors closed the case, ruling that Rodríguez had not attempted to enter Spanish territory.
In 2025, the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee kept a request open to review whether Spain had breached the sanctions framework. However, Brussels reiterated that enforcement is solely the responsibility of EU member states.
International
Marco Rubio warns Cuba could be Trump administration’s next target
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not rule out that Cuba’s communist government could become the next target of the Trump administration, just one day after the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
In an interview on Meet the Press, Rubio issued a warning to Havana, stating that Cuban authorities are “in a lot of trouble.”
“Is the Cuban government the next target of the Trump administration?” journalist Kristen Welker asked.
“Well, the Cuban government is a major problem. Yes,” Rubio replied.
“So that’s a yes?” Welker pressed.
“I think they’re in a lot of trouble, yes,” the Secretary of State added.
In a separate appearance, Rubio—who is the son of Cuban immigrants—claimed that Venezuela’s intelligence services were “full of Cubans” and said the island nation had effectively taken control of Venezuela.
“In some cases, one of the biggest challenges Venezuelans face is having to declare their independence from Cuba,” Rubio said from President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. “They basically tried to colonize the country from a security standpoint. So yes, if I were living in Havana and part of the government, I would at least be worried.”
During a press conference on Saturday, President Trump himself said the United States seeks to be surrounded by “good neighbors.”
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people of Cuba, but we also want to help those who are forced to leave and live in this country,” Trump said. He also described the island as a “nation in decline” that is “not doing very well right now.”
The Cuban government has not yet responded to Rubio’s remarks. However, as a staunch ally of Maduro’s regime, Cuban authorities strongly condemned recent explosions and U.S. operations in Caracas.
“All nations in the region must remain alert, as the threat looms over everyone. In Cuba, our determination to fight is firm and unbreakable. The decision is one and only one: Homeland or Death,” Cuban officials said in a statement.
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