The spotlight has again focused on Felipe Calderon (president of Mexico from 2006-2012) after his former public security minister was this week found guilty in the United States of taking millions of dollars in bribes from Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel.
Genaro Garcia Luna was convicted Tuesday by a federal jury in Brooklyn on five counts that included conspiracy to distribute and import cocaine. The verdict followed a four-week trial and three days of jury deliberations. Garcia Luna faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life in prison.
Although the verdict was expected, it triggered a wave of indignation and censure aimed at Calderon, who has insisted he was unaware that his most trusted colleague in the narcotics war was all the time involved in unlawful dealings with Mexico’s most powerful drug cartel.
In a statement issued Tuesday, just hours after the verdict, Calderon was unrepentant and defended his presidency.
“I never negotiated with criminals,” Calderon stated. “I have been the president who has acted the most against organized crime … I complied and enforced the Constitution and the law.”
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