Trump Administration Pressures Mexico to Act on Politicians Linked to Organized Crime

 WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY — June 15, 2025,  The Trump administration is urging the Mexican government to initiate investigations and possible prosecutions against politicians suspected of ties to organized crime, and to extradite those facing charges to the United States, according to sources familiar with ongoing diplomatic discussions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team have reportedly raised the matter on at least three separate occasions during bilateral meetings with Mexican counterparts, calling on President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration to launch a sweeping crackdown on political corruption connected to drug cartels. Four individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions confirmed the U.S. requests.

In what could mark an unprecedented escalation in anti-narcotics cooperation, U.S. officials have specifically urged action against several politicians from Sheinbaum's ruling Morena party. Two sources indicated that the United States has even suggested the imposition of additional tariffs should Mexico fail to act on these concerns.

These diplomatic exchanges have not been previously disclosed.

Following the publication of the report, Mexico’s Foreign Ministry publicly denied receiving any request from the United States to investigate specific officials. President Sheinbaum also dismissed the claims during her daily press briefing, labeling the allegations “false” and stating that the U.S. had not requested any names of Mexican politicians for investigation.

While the U.S. State Department declined to confirm whether specific names had been provided, it acknowledged in a post-publication comment that it had urged action on cartel-linked politicians, though it denied offering “tariff relief” in exchange.

“It is in the interest of both the United States and Mexico to work together to combat the cartels and the corrupt actors that enable them,” the Department’s statement read.

A Reuters spokesperson responded to official denials, stating: “We stand by our reporting.”

Focus on Baja California Governor

Among those named in the discussions, according to two sources, is Marina del Pilar Avila, the current Governor of Baja California and a prominent figure in the Morena party. While Reuters was unable to verify the existence of any U.S.-provided list or concrete evidence against any individuals, the sources indicated that five current officials and one former senator had been flagged during the talks.

Governor Avila, responding to Reuters' inquiries, categorically rejected any suggestion of criminal ties:

“I affirm categorically that it is totally false—any information that seeks to link me to any organized crime group,” she said. “My administration has actively combated organized crime and successfully reduced homicide rates.”

Diplomatic Sensitivity and Political Risk

Neither the Mexican presidency, the Attorney General’s Office, nor the Security and Foreign Ministries responded to multiple requests for comment. Likewise, the White House, U.S. Department of State, Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security did not provide comment ahead of publication.

The Trump administration has cited cartel influence over Mexican governance as a rationale for past tariff threats and is now reportedly using similar pressure to address alleged corruption at the highest political levels.

Should the Sheinbaum administration comply with U.S. demands, it would mark an extraordinary shift in Mexico’s approach to combating narco-corruption—potentially targeting senior elected officials while in office. However, such actions carry significant domestic political implications, especially given that some of the individuals reportedly named are members of Sheinbaum’s own political circle.

A senior member of Sheinbaum’s security cabinet told Reuters that while the political risk is high, ignoring the issue could undermine bilateral cooperation and national security efforts on both sides of the border.