High-ranking officials from the federal government and Mexico City are allegedly involved in protecting ‘El Flaco,’ one of the most important men for the Sinaloa Cartel. In 2023, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned José Ángel Rivera Zazueta, better known as ‘El Flaco,’ for being one of the suspected operators of Ismael El Mayo Zambada. According to journalist Anabel Hernández, he enjoys high-level protection within the federal government.
‘El Flaco’ was linked to the Chinese company Shanghai Fast-Fine Chemicals, identified by the United States as one of the companies used by Mexican cartels to transport chemical precursors from Asia to Mexico.
Despite these allegations, the author of the book ‘La historia secreta: AMLO y el Cártel de Sinaloa’ (The Secret History: AMLO and the Sinaloa Cartel) asserts that ‘El Flaco’ is one of El Mayo Zambada’s main operators in Mexico City. He also benefits from protection by the Mexican Army, the National Guard, and local authorities.
In an interview with WRadio, Anabel Hernández stated that ‘El Flaco’ had control over the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) with the support of the National Guard, and this ‘protection’ occurred during the administration of presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum.
The journalist mentioned that a cousin of Omar García Harfuch, former chief of the Mexico City police, assured her that ‘El Flaco’ worked for the Sinaloa Cartel.
Who is ‘El Flaco’? Since early 2023, Anabel Hernández revealed that ‘El Flaco’ came onto the international authorities’ radar when he was linked to a 385-kilogram cocaine transaction intended for the Italian mafia known as Ndrangheta.
Rivera Zazueta was also flagged for operating his own currency exchange center, which had the backing of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) and the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV).
The currency exchange center named ‘MIA’ was located on the border between Mexicali and Calexico, one of the areas in Baja California with a significant presence of the Sinaloa Cartel.
U.S. accusations identified ‘El Flaco’ not only as responsible for drug trafficking and connections with South American and Italian mafias but also as a facilitator of chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs. Additionally, he facilitated money laundering related to drug trafficking.
Anabel Hernández, AMLO, and the Sinaloa Cartel During the presentation of her latest book, Anabel Hernández emphasized that the content is closely related to the “not-so-distant future” of the president.
Part of the research in ‘La historia secreta: AMLO y el Cártel de Sinaloa’ reveals the alleged narco financing of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidential campaigns in 2006, 2012, and 2018.
The journalist compared López Obrador to Genaro García Luna, former Secretary of Public Security during Felipe Calderón Hinojosa’s administration. García Luna awaits sentencing after being found guilty of five charges in a New York court.
Some of the allegations against the current president focus on a phone call between the journalist and a security chief of Édgar Valdez Villarreal, known as ‘La Barbie.’ The security chief claimed that in 2006, during the presidential campaign, Sergio Villarreal Barragán, also known as ‘El Grande,’ and his boss were together when a supposed call occurred between ‘La Barbie’ and AMLO. Additionally, a witness currently imprisoned in the United States asserts that Arturo Beltrán Leyva ordered the delivery of $1 million to the national leader. However, due to a lack of cash at that moment, they were only able to deliver $500,000 to Francisco ‘Pancho’ León García.”
Source: Infobae
