Mexico transfers 26 more cartel members to US
Authorities shipped 26 prisoners wanted in the US for ties to drug-trafficking groups, Mexico's attorney general's office and security ministry said in a joint statement.
Mexico said the US Department of Justice had requested their extradition and that it would not seek the death penalty for the accused cartel members.
The transfer is the second of its kind this year.
In February, Mexican authorities sent 29 alleged cartel leaders to the US, sparking a debate about the political and legal grounds for such a move.
That Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum permitting yet another large-scale extradition of Mexican nationals underscores the balancing act she faces to appease Mr Trump while also avoiding unilateral US military action in Mexico.
In a statement, the US Embassy said among those extradited were key figures in the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, which are Mexico's two dominant-organised crime groups.
"This transfer is yet another example of what is possible when two governments unite against violence and impunity," US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said in a statement.
"These fugitives will now face justice in American courts, and the citizens of both our nations will be safer."
Mr Trump has tied tariffs on Mexico to the deadly fentanyl trade, claiming the country hasn't tackled drug cartels aggressively enough.
Last week, he directed the Pentagon to prepare operations against Mexican drug gangs that have been designated global terrorist organisations.
Ms Sheinbaum has said the US and Mexico are nearing a security agreement to expand cooperation in the fight against cartels.
However, she has flatly rejected suggestions by the Trump administration that it could carry out unilateral military operations in Mexico.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
13 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Trump names Stallone and Crawford among Kennedy Centre Honours nominees
US President Donald Trump has named Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone, singer Gloria Gaynor, British actor-singer Michael Crawford, the rock band Kiss and country music star George Strait among the first batch of Kennedy Centre Honours nominees in his new role as chairman. Crawford starred in Phantom Of The Opera on Broadway and the West End, and writer Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber was himself a Kennedy Centre Honours recipient in 2006. Other previous British recipients have included Sir Elton John in 2004 and Dame Julie Andrews in 2001. President Donald Trump stands beside photos of Kennedy Centre Honours nominees, from left country music star George Strait, actor-singer Michael Crawford and Rocky actor Sylvester Stallone (Alex Brandon/AP) Mr Trump said he will 'fully renovate' the entire infrastructure of the Kennedy Centre to make it a 'crown jewel' of arts and culture in the United States. 'We're going to bring it to a higher level than it ever hit,' he said, adding that the venue would be featured in next year's celebrations of America's 250th anniversary. The Republican president said he did not want to host the programme but was invited to do so and agreed. Mr Trump avoided the Kennedy Centre Honours awards programme during his first term after artists said they would not attend out of protest. This year, the president has taken over as the Kennedy Centre's new chairman and sacked the board of trustees, which he replaced with loyalists. President Donald Trump speaks at the Kennedy Centre in Washington (Alex Brandon/AP) In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Mr Trump teased a name change for the centre, formally the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, and said it would be restored to its past glory. 'GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS,' he wrote. Mr Trump said work was being done on the site that would be 'bringing it back to the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment'. 'It had fallen on hard times, physically, BUT WILL SOON BE MAKING A MAJOR COMEBACK!!!' he wrote. In a statement on its social media feed, the Kennedy Centre said it is 'honoured' to host Mr Trump, who will be visiting for the third time since January, and hinted that he would announce a construction project. Sylvester Stallone is unveiled by President Donald Trump to be a recipient of the Kennedy Centre Honours at the Kennedy Centre in Washington (Alex Brandon/AP) 'Thanks to his advocacy, our beautiful building will undergo renovations to restore its prestige and grandeur,' the venue said. 'We are also excited to be announcing this year's INCREDIBLE slate of Kennedy Center Honorees.' Mr Trump complained during a March visit that the building is in a state of 'tremendous disrepair'. The president, who had indicated he wanted a more active role in the selection process, said he was 'about 98% involved' in choosing the honorees. He said he 'turned down plenty' of names, saying those individuals were 'too woke', or too liberal. Mr Trump described the slate of artists he announced on Wednesday, which include several of his personal favourites, as 'great people'. Gloria Gaynor is among those being honoured (Alex Brandon/AP) Historically, a bipartisan advisory committee selects the recipients, who over the years have ranged from George Balanchine and Tom Hanks to Aretha Franklin and Stephen Sondheim. In the past, Mr Trump has floated the idea of granting Kennedy Centre Honours status to singer-songwriter Paul Anka and Stallone, one of three actors Mr Trump named as Hollywood ambassadors earlier this year. Anka was supposed to perform My Way at Mr Trump's first inaugural and backed out at the last moment. The Kennedy Centre Honours were established in 1978 and have been given to a broad range of artists. Until Mr Trump's first term, presidents of both major political parties traditionally attended the annual ceremony, even when they disagreed politically with a given recipient. Prominent liberals such as Barbra Streisand and Warren Beatty were honoured during the administration of Republican George W Bush, and a leading conservative, Charlton Heston, was feted during the administration of Democrat Bill Clinton. In 2017, after honoree Norman Lear declared that he would not attend a White House celebration in protest over Mr Trump's proposed cuts to federal arts funding, Mr Trump and first lady Melania Trump decided to skip the Kennedy Centre event and stayed away throughout his first term. The rock band Kiss will be a recipient of the Kennedy Centre Honours (Alex Brandon/AP) Honorees during that time included such Trump critics as Cher, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Sally Field. Since taking office for a second time, Mr Trump has taken a much more forceful stance on the Kennedy Centre and inserted himself into its governance. Besides naming himself chairman and remaking the board, he has also indicated he would take over decisions regarding programming at the centre and vowed to end events featuring performers in drag. The steps have drawn further criticism from some artists. In March, the producers of Hamilton pulled out of staging the Broadway hit musical in 2026, citing Mr Trump's aggressive takeover of the institution's leadership. Country music artist George Strait (Alex Brandon/AP) Other artists who cancelled events include actor Issa Rae, singer Rhiannon Giddens and author Louise Penny. House Republicans added an amendment to a spending Bill that Mr Trump signed into law in July to rename the Kennedy Centre's Opera House after Melania Trump, but that venue has yet to be renamed. Maria Shriver, a niece of the late President Kennedy, a Democrat, has criticised as 'insane' a separate House proposal to rename the entire centre after Mr Trump. Recipients of the Kennedy Centre Honours are given a medallion on a rainbow ribbon, a nod to the range of skills that fall under the performing arts. In April, the centre changed the lights on the exterior from the long-standing rainbow to a permanent red, white and blue display.
Irish Independent
30 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Trump warns of ‘severe consequences' if Putin does not agree to stop Ukraine war after summit
Trump made the comment in response to a question from a reporter after announcing this year's Kennedy Center Honors recipients in Washington. He did not say what the consequences might be. The remark came soon after Trump consulted with European leaders, who said the president assured them he would make a priority of trying to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine when he meets with Putin on Friday in Anchorage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined several of Kyiv's main allies in the virtual meeting with the U.S. leader, and Zelenskyy told the group that Putin 'is bluffing' ahead of the planned summit about Russia's ability to occupy all of Ukraine and shake off sanctions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said afterward that 'important decisions' could be made in Alaska, but he stressed that 'fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be protected.' Merz convened Wednesday's meeting in an attempt to make sure European and Ukrainian leaders are heard ahead of the summit. Merz stressed that a ceasefire must come at the beginning of negotiations. He told reporters that Trump 'also wants to make this one of his priorities' in the meeting with Putin. Trump 'was very clear" that the U.S. wants to achieve a ceasefire at the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said at a separate appearance in France. Following Friday's summit, Macron added, Trump will 'seek a future trilateral meeting' — one involving Trump, Putin and Zelensky. He said he hoped that it could be held in Europe "in a neutral country that is acceptable to all parties.' Merz, who described Wednesday's conversation as 'constructive and good,' said the Europeans made clear that 'Ukraine must sit at the table as soon as there are follow-up meetings.' European allies have pushed for Ukraine's involvement in any peace talks, fearful that discussions that exclude Kyiv could otherwise favor Moscow. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The Ukrainian president, who traveled to Berlin to join the meeting alongside Merz, has repeatedly cast doubt on whether Putin would negotiate in good faith. He said Wednesday that he hoped an immediate ceasefire will be 'the central topic' in Alaska, but also argued that Putin "definitely does not want peace.' Zelenskyy said Putin 'is trying to apply pressure ... on all sectors of the Ukrainian front' in an attempt to show that Russia is 'capable of occupying all of Ukraine.' Putin is also bluffing that sanctions 'do not matter to him and are ineffective," he added. 'In reality, sanctions are very helpful and are hitting Russia's war economy hard.' Trump has said he wants to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war, now in its fourth year, describing Friday's summit as "a feel-out meeting' where he can assess the Russian leader's intentions. Yet Trump has disappointed allies in Europe by saying Ukraine will have to give up some Russian-held territory. He has also said Russia must accept land swaps, although it was unclear what Putin might be expected to surrender. Trump on Monday ducked repeated chances to say that he would push for Zelensky to take part in his discussions with Putin, and was dismissive of Zelensky and his need to be part of an effort to seek peace. Trump said that following Friday's summit, a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders could be arranged, or that it could also be a meeting with 'Putin and Zelensky and me.' The Europeans and Ukraine are wary that Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 and used Russia's energy might to try to intimidate the European Union, might secure favorable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them. The overarching fear of many European countries is that Putin will set his sights on one of them next if he wins in Ukraine. Merz said that 'if there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and the Europeans should and must increase the pressure' on Moscow. Zelensky said Tuesday that Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it still controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected. Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would not give up any territory it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion. He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not addressed key Ukrainian demands, including security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and including Europe in negotiations. Three weeks after Trump returned to office, his administration took the leverage of Ukraine's NATO membership off the table — something Putin has demanded — and signaled that the EU and Ukraine must handle security in Europe now while America focuses its attention elsewhere. Senior EU officials believe that Trump may be satisfied with simply securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, and is probably more interested in broader U.S. geostrategic interests and great power politics, aiming to ramp up business with Russia and rehabilitate Putin. Russian forces on the ground in Ukraine have been closing in on a key territorial grab around the city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donbas region comprises Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted. Military analysts using open-source information to monitor the battles have said Ukraine's ability to fend off those advances could be critical: Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important victory ahead of the summit and could complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts.
Irish Times
42 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Zelenskiy says Trump promised post-war security guarantees for Ukraine
US president Donald Trump has reportedly agreed to a key Ukraine demand for postwar security guarantees ahead of Friday's Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin . V olodymyr Zelenskiy , the Ukrainian president, said Mr Trump's promise left him optimistic that the summit, to which he is not invited, will bring progress in ending the three-and-a-half year conflict. European leaders, including Mr Zelenskiy, held a video call with Mr Trump in a bid to influence his meeting with Mr Putin. After the call, Mr Zelenskiy declined to answer directly if, as the price of peace, he would accept territorial losses. READ MORE 'We want a ceasefire, we want strong security guarantees and president Trump confirmed this and said he supports this,' said Mr Zelenskiy during a surprise visit on Wednesday to Berlin. 'Russia cannot have right of veto regarding our own perspective in Europe and Nato. What we need is to exert pressure to achieve peace.' Regarding Mr Trump's recent talk of 'land swaps' between Russia and Ukraine, Mr Zelenskiy declined to rule out the idea. Instead, hesitating for a moment during a press conference, he added that 'our territorial integrity is something that will be decided by the Ukrainians'. German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who initiated Wednesday's virtual gatherings, said subsequent talks with Mr Trump and vice-president JD Vance had been 'extremely constructive and a good conversation' with 'great unity' on the key issues. Mr Merz told Mr Trump he could count on European leader's 'full support' for any deal that maintains European and Ukraine's security interests and the inviolability of national borders. 'We made clear that Ukraine must be at the table as soon as follow-up meetings take place,' said Mr Merz at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian visitor. 'We want negotiations to proceed in the right order, with a ceasefire at the outset.' The German leader said US president 'largely shared' the European wish to 'increase the pressure' if Russia refused to make concessions and, as in the past, continued to talk with the West while continuing its military campaign. 'This cannot continue, otherwise these discussions are not credible,' said Mr Merz. 'I am hoping that Mr Trump will try to be assertive here.' Wednesday's trip to Berlin marked the high point of a frantic week of diplomacy for Mr Zelenskiy. In his first video conference, he joined Mr Merz and other leaders from the so-called 'coalition of the willing': heads of state and government of Britain, Finland, France, Italy, Poland and the European Union – as well as Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. The former Dutch prime minister said last week that some Ukrainian territory might end up being de facto controlled by Russia, even if not formally recognised. 'The ball is now in Russia's court,' said Mr Rutte after Wednesday's meeting, praising Mr Trump's 'leadership and close co-ordination with allies'. After the call, French president Emmanuel Macron said Mr Trump agreed to use his Alaska meeting with Mr Putin to push for a ceasefire before peace talks, a position Russia rejects. Mr Macron insisted that, while there were 'currently no serious territorial exchange schemes on the table', Mr Trump agreed that 'territories belonging to Ukraine cannot be negotiated and will only be negotiated by the Ukrainian president'. Mr Zelenskiy confirmed in Berlin that all parties on Wednesday's video call agreed his country must be involved in any territorial talks as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia. Such guarantees from Washington – should they hold – will go some way to assuaging Ukraine's fears, based on previous remarks by Mr Trump, that a carve-up of its territory could be part of a peace deal agreed between Washington and Moscow. The Ukrainian leader played down talk of a 'historic' encounter, echoing Mr Trump's insistence that Alaska will be a 'feel-out' meeting with the Russian leader. Mr Zelenskiy said he urged Mr Trump not to believe Mr Putin's 'bluffs' that Russia could occupy all of Ukraine, or that sanctions were ineffective. He said the US president promised to call him after the meeting 'to discuss results if there will be results, so we can discuss the next steps'. Mr Merz declined to be drawn on how European allies would contribute to the security guarantees sought by Kyiv. Its European allies would 'continue to strengthen the Ukrainian army', Mr Merz added, and their contributions, 'differing from country to country, were not discussed' on Wednesday. 'We will discuss that when we find ourselves on a path to peace,' he added.
