The United States Attorney’s Office tries to prohibit the former Mexican Secretary of Public Security, Genaro García Luna, from speaking in his trial for drug trafficking of the general Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, the former head of the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) who in 2020 was also arrested in the neighboring country for money laundering, and three counts of conspiracy to import and distribute narcotics, although he was later released through an agreement with the Mexican government .
In a preliminary motion (motion in limine) of eight pages, a copy of which has HIGH LEVEL, Prosecutor Breon Peace asks the judge in the trial against García Luna to prevent the former Mexican official from making “any reference” to General Cienfuegos, “because it is irrelevant for the present case”.
because the next January 17, 2023 The trial for drug trafficking against the former Secretary of Public Security in the administration of President Felipe Calderón is scheduled to begin, the US prosecutor’s office wants to make sure that the defendant’s defense does not mention General Cienfuegos to prove that García Luna is being judged in a wrong way. selective.
“The Court must exclude evidence or arguments that refer to the now dismissed case against Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda,” details Prosecutor Peace’s motion addressed to Judge Brian M. Cogan.
This document expressly requests that the defendant be prevented from “alleging a selective prosecution or an improper governmental motive”, taking into account the release of the former head of the Sedena, who -like García Luna- also faced drug trafficking charges in the United States , although he managed to have these removed as part of a cooperation agreement between Mexico and the American Union.
The prosecution insists to Judge Cogan that for the trial against Genaro García Luna, the fact that the United States has dismissed the charges against another former Mexican official is irrelevant, since it is “a different case,” according to the prosecutor’s considerations. Breon Peace.
However, in both criminal proceedings there are coincidences, as they are former high-ranking Mexican public servants accused in the United States of having ties to drug trafficking.
Lies and photographs also outside
Through this motion, the prosecution also wants to prevent García Luna from presenting at trial the statements that the same former official made after his arrest in 2019, since he “repeatedly lied” when asked about his participation in acts of drug trafficking.
And in the same way, an attempt is being made to prohibit, as part of his defense, the also former director of the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI) from showing photographs in which the Mexican appears with senior officials of the United States government, when García Luna was in the federal government.
Prosecutor Breon Peace also does not want to show various letters that were written in the past -in favor of Genaro García- by members of the US government. “For example, in 2013, the defendant applied for a visa to the United States and included with his application numerous letters of recommendation and praise from US officials, including diplomats, (and) congressional officials.”
For the prosecutor, “the Court must prevent the defendant from presenting evidence or arguments of these statements, awards, photographs and meetings as inadmissible (and) irrelevant rumors”, as they are documents issued when the accused today enjoyed a good public reputation for his performance in the federal government of Mexico.
New York Eastern District Attorney Breon Peaceintends to achieve a conviction against Genaro García Lunaeliminating these elements that could serve in his defense, to which are added more than 3,500 probative documents that involve the former Mexican official with the Sinaloa cartels and the Beltrán Leyva brothers.
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surya palaces Journalist and lawyer, specialist in legal analysis and human rights. She has been a reporter, radio host and editor.