Another Two Cartel Drug Lords Could Face The Death Penalty If Extradited To The U.S.

Mexican authorities extradited 29 prisoners in late February at the request of the U.S. Among those extradited were high-profile drug lords, including Rafael Caro Quintero and the Treviño Morales brothers, the founders of the now-defunct Guadalajara Cartel and the Los Zetas Cartel, respectively.

Now, new reports suggest the U.S. government is seeking to complete another batch of extraditions that could include more high-profile names.

According to Milenio, Servando Gómez, alias "La Tuta," and Abigael González Valencia, known as "El Cuini," are among those wanted by U.S. officials. Both men could face life sentences or the death penalty if found guilty by American prosecutors.

When asked about the new list of possible extraditions, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that Mexico continues to work alongside the U.S. to finalize the date in which the next set of extraditions will take place.

"There are more lists," Sheinbaum told reporters. "And to the extent that cooperation is possible, they will be carried out. This has been happening for some time, not just now," she added.

Commonly known as "La Tuta," Gómez was a former high-ranking member of La Familia Michoacana, a criminal organization that began as a group of farmers and former law enforcement officers acting as vigilantes but quickly turned to drug trafficking and extortion.

Gómez then split from La Familia Michoacana and went on to lead the Caballeros Templarios (Knights Templar), a drug trafficking group.

Gómez was captured by Mexican authorities in February 2015 after a two-year manhunt. He faces charges in a New York court for conspiracy to distribute and import cocaine while he was still with La Familia Michoacana.

Similarly, González Valencia, alias "El Cuini," was arrested in February 2015 by members of the Mexican Navy. He faces numerous charges in the U.S., including conspiracy to distribute and import cocaine and methamphetamines, as well as conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and torture.

González Valencia is the brother-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," the leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). Authorities claim that González Valencia served as a financial operator for the Jalisco cartel and was the head of "Los Cuinis," a criminal cell within the cartel that also provides protection for "El Mencho."

Both "El Cuini" and "La Tuta" could face sentences of 20 and 10 years, respectively, with the possibility of life in prison. In addition to conventional sentences, new interpretations by the U.S. Department of Justice have toughened the legal framework on drug trafficking since Trump's administration began, potentially resulting in heavier sentences, including the possibility of capital punishment.

With several Mexican drug cartels now designated as foreign terrorist organizations, "El Cuini" and "La Tuta" could be charged with narcoterrorism or terrorism, opening the possibility for prosecutors to request the death penalty.

This is the case for Caro Quintero, alias "El Narco de Narcos." During his last hearing on March 27, U.S. District Judge Frederic Block inquired about the possibility of capital punishment, as Caro Quintero faces charges of leading a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit murder, international drug distribution, and firearms offenses related to drug trafficking.