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U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar Departs Mexico Without Delivering ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Report

CIUDAD DE MÉXICO — In his final press conference before leaving Mexico, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar confirmed that he will not deliver a report on the capture of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, before completing his mission. The report, a long-standing request from the Mexican government, will continue through legal channels, Salazar said.

When asked if he planned to deliver the report before leaving, Salazar responded, "The legal process continues and will continue with these capos. Results will be seen in the months and years ahead. My hope has always been that there are many criminals, and these are not the only ones who should be spending time in U.S. prisons for the crimes they’ve committed."

Salazar expressed confidence in Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, expressing optimism that violence in areas like Morelos, Tijuana, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, and Chiapas will improve.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between Mexico and the U.S. on security, migration, and economic issues, ahead of the incoming Trump administration. "Combating organized crime will be a priority for the next U.S. government," he said.

When asked about fentanyl production in Mexico, Salazar acknowledged its presence and production in the country but emphasized the need for international cooperation. "Fentanyl is a global problem. People are dying, and we need cooperation and effort from Mexico, the U.S., and many other countries," he said.

Salazar’s departure comes as the U.S.-Mexico relationship faces ongoing challenges, particularly in addressing drug trafficking and organized crime. His successor will inherit these complex issues as the two nations continue to collaborate on security and migration matters.

Mexicana de Aviación Suspends Operations on Eight Routes at AIFA

Mexicana de Aviación has announced that it will halt operations on eight routes to and from the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) starting January 6, 2025. The airline revealed this decision on its website, stating that the affected routes include Acapulco, Campeche, Guadalajara, Ixtapa, Nuevo Laredo, Puerto Vallarta, Uruapan, and Villahermosa.

Passengers affected by these cancellations can request refunds or change their routes by contacting Mexicana de Aviación via telephone at 442 213 0204. The airline expressed its regret for any inconvenience caused and assured passengers that they would be updated on any further developments.

This announcement comes just over a year after Mexicana de Aviación resumed operations on December 26, 2024, at AIFA. In a recent statement, the federal government reported that the airline had successfully operated over 7,000 flights to 18 destinations, transporting more than 382,000 passengers within its first year.

Leobardo Ávila Bojórquez, the director of Mexicana de Aviación, attributed the airline’s success to a strategic commercial initiative launched in October 2024. This initiative has enabled the airline to transport over 110,000 kilograms of cargo between AIFA and Tijuana in just two and a half months.

The routes with the highest passenger occupancy are Tijuana, Tulum, Mérida, Ixtepec, and Ciudad Victoria. Despite these positive developments, Mexicana de Aviación has decided to suspend operations on the aforementioned routes, citing unspecified reasons. The airline has not provided further details on the potential resumption of these routes.

As Mexicana de Aviación continues to navigate the competitive landscape of the aviation industry, passengers and stakeholders eagerly await more information on the airline’s future plans and the potential impact of these route suspensions on its overall operations.

Mexico City: Former Veracruz governor Cuitláhuac García is set to join the federal government on Monday as the new director of the National Center for Natural Gas Control (Cenagas), President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced today.

The president, speaking at her daily press conference at the National Palace, stated that García’s technical expertise will be crucial in coordinating production and distribution efforts at Cenagas. "Not many people know that Cuitláhuac is a mechanical and electrical engineer from the University of Veracruz, an excellent engineer," she remarked.

Cenagas is a decentralized, sectorized agency under the Secretariat of Energy. It operates as the manager of the Integrated National Transportation and Storage System of Natural Gas and acts as a natural gas transporter, maintaining its own pipelines.

García’s appointment comes as the Mexican energy sector continues to evolve under ongoing reforms, with natural gas playing an increasingly significant role in the country’s energy mix. His engineering background is expected to bring valuable expertise to the agency, which is responsible for ensuring the efficient and reliable delivery of natural gas to consumers across the country.

Mexico Enacts landmark Judicial Career and Administrative Responsibility Laws

In a significant stride towards reforming the Mexican judiciary, the recently approved secondary laws of the judicial power reform have been published in the Official Gazette. The two new decrees, the Law of the Judicial Career and the Amendments to the General Law of Administrative Responsibilities, came into effect on Friday, following their publication.

The Law of the Judicial Career introduces measures to prohibit judges and other high-ranking officials from appointing family members, partners, or individuals with whom they have conflicts of interest. It also outlines processes for entry, training, promotion, performance evaluation, retention, and separation within the judicial career, and establishes the Single Registry of Public Servants in the Judicial Career.

The law mandates that public servants participate in training courses offered by the Judicial School and pass performance evaluations to maintain and advance in their judicial careers.

Simultaneously, the amendments to the General Law of Administrative Responsibilities designate the relevant disciplinary tribunals to investigate and impose sanctions on public servants. For the Federal Judiciary, the Judicial Discipline Tribunal will be responsible, while state and Mexico City tribunals will oversee their respective entities.

The new laws also require public servants in the judiciary to adhere to principles of austerity, discipline, legal compliance, objectivity, professionalism, honesty, loyalty, impartiality, integrity, accountability, efficiency, and resource rationality in their duties.

These substantial reforms aim to enhance transparency, efficiency, and public trust in the Mexican judiciary, aligning with the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions.

Morena‘s New Honesty and Justice Commission Takes Office; Iris Mariana Rodríguez Bello Named President

MEXICO CITY — The new members of Morena’s National Commission on Honest and Justice (CNHJ) kicked off their term Friday, beginning a 2025-2027 tenure in the party‘s most important disciplinary body. Iris Mariana Rodríguez Bello, former sub-secretary of Development, Democratic Participation, and Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, was appointed as the commission’s president.

Rodríguez Bello, who took over from Cesar Yáñez, current sub-secretary of Government, will lead the commission alongside Secretary Alejandra Arias Medina and commissioners Eduardo Ávila Valle, José Romualdo Hernández Naranjo, and Elizabeth Flores Hernández. These individuals were elected in December 2022 through extraordinary sessions of Morena’s National Council, tasked with handling potential grievances during the upcoming midterm elections.

At the installation ceremony, the newly appointed members pledged to uphold the principles of Morena’s "Fourth Transformation" and protect the rights of their membership. The party expressed confidence in their impartiality and commitment to fair, objective decision-making.

The CNHJ plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of Morena’s internal processes and ensuring a level playing field for all party members during elections. As the commission begins its new term, all eyes are on them to maintain the trust and confidence of the party’s grassroots.

Sofía Soraya Von Roehrich Wins Amparo Against Mexico City’s Prosecutor over ‘Cartel Inmobiliario’ Case

In a significant ruling, a collegiate tribunal has granted an amparo to Sofía Soraya Von Roehrich de la Isla, daughter of the former Mexico City Mayor and sister of ex-delegate Christian Von Roehrich. The amparo restricts the Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México (FGJCDMX) from spreading information related to her ongoing legal case linked to the infamous ‘Cártel Inmobiliario.’

The Seventh Collegiate Tribunal in Penal Matters of the First Circuit confirmed a federal judge’s ruling from July 2022, ordering the FGJCDMX to abstain from circulating information containing Von Roehrich’s personal data regarding the ‘Inmobiliario Cartel’ case process. Von Roehrich was charged with organized crime in 2022.

Von Roehrich challenged the FGJCDMX’s official statements, specifically a press release published on May 16 and 23, 2023, alleging it violated her rights. The tribunal sided with Von Roehrich, ruling that the FGJCDMX lacked formalities in its communications, which should be void of sugestive language and premature declarations about her guilt. The tribunal argued that these communications exposed Von Roehrich to public judgment before a final judgment, infringing her presumption of innocence.

Despite the capital’s judicial authorities contesting the judgement, the collegiate tribunal upheld the initial decision, dismissing their appeals as invalid. Magistrates Ana Marcela Zatarain Barrett, Alberto Díaz, and Enrique Sánchez concurred that Von Roehrich had been exposed to public judgment and prejudice due to "vicious formalities" in the FGJCDMX’s communications.

This ruling sets a precedent for the prosecution’s handling of high-profile cases, emphasizing the importance of adhering to formalities and avoiding sugestive language that could prejudice defendants before a final court decision.