Mexico asks america to extradite the ‘mastermind’ of the assassination of journalist Javier Valdez

The Mexican authorities has requested america to extradite a prime drug cartel official suspected of the homicide of famed journalist Javier Valdez in 2017.

Valdez, recognized for his award-winning protection of drug trafficking, was shot within the metropolis of Culiacán in Might 2017.

Mexican authorities say the journalist’s killing was ordered by Dámaso López Serrano, a former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

López Serrano — who the U.S. Division of Justice says goes by the nickname “Mini Lic” — was arrested Dec. 13 on costs of trafficking fentanyl in Virginia.

At a information convention this week, Mexican Lawyer Common Alejandro Gertz mentioned López Serrano was the “mastermind” of Valdez’s homicide.

“We now have already prosecuted the opposite perpetrators and they’re in jail,” he mentioned.

Mr. Gertz added that Mexico had requested his extradition “numerous occasions” but it surely was rejected as a result of US authorities thought of López Serrano a “protected witness” who “gave them a variety of info “.

Investigators consider López Serrano ordered Valdez’s assassination after changing into angered by media protection of inner energy struggles inside the Sinaloa Cartel.

López Serrano’s father, Dámaso López Núñez, was thought of a key lieutenant of cartel chief Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

After Guzmán’s arrest and extradition to america, López Núñez launched a bloody energy wrestle for management of the cartel, however was finally captured in a raid in Mexico Metropolis in 2017.

In July 2017, López Serrano surrendered to U.S. authorities to face drug trafficking costs and cooperated in trade for a decreased sentence.

On the time, U.S. legislation enforcement officers described him because the “prime chief of the Mexican cartel” desirous to “give up” to america.

He was launched from jail on parole in 2022. He was rearrested Friday to face extra fentanyl trafficking costs.

On the time of his demise, Valdez was protecting a bloody energy wrestle inside the Sinaloa cartel between López Núñez and López Serrano and Guzmán’s sons.

Eight days earlier than his demise, he printed a column wherein he described López Serrano as spoiled, “good for speaking however not good for enterprise” and a “weekend shooter with a prop gun.”

Mexico is among the most violent international locations on this planet in the direction of journalists.

Knowledge from Reporters With out Borders exhibits that greater than 150 journalists have been killed there since 1994.

In 2022, a minimum of 15 individuals have been killed, making it one of the vital violent years ever for Mexican journalists.

The violence continued. In October, a journalist was shot lifeless within the violence-plagued city of Uruapan.

The subsequent day, an leisure journalist was shot lifeless at a restaurant she owned within the state of Colima.