Osiel Cardenas, a notorious drug chief in Mexico’s history, was released from a US prison into the custody of immigration officials who may deport him. As the former leader of the Gulf Cartel, Cardenas was responsible for some of the bloodiest gang violence in Mexico and is known for transforming drug trafficking by adopting hyper-violent tactics such as decapitations. He also founded the Zetas, an armed wing of the Gulf Cartel comprised of former army special forces, which later became one of the most deadly crime groups in Mexico before fizzling out.
Captured after a gun battle in 2003, Cardenas was extradited to the United States in 2007 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2010. He was released from prison into the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, but it is unclear if he will be deported to Mexico or remain on US soil. ICE officers took custody of Cardenas at the prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, and he remains in ICE custody pending a final disposition determination.
Reports suggest that the Biden administration plans to hand over Cardenas to Mexico on Monday, as he has outstanding charges in Mexico and is currently held in a migration detention center in the US. Leo Silva, a former DEA agent who worked in Mexico countering the Zetas, blames Cardenas for the increase in grisly violence in Mexico over the past two decades. The Zetas initiated efforts by organized crime groups to move beyond drug trafficking to extorting residents and businesses in the areas they controlled, as well as engaging in widespread kidnapping for ransom.
The Zetas played a significant role in spreading terror in Mexico by introducing violent tactics such as extortion and kidnapping for ransom. Their involvement in organized crime led to an upsurge in violence in the country, with Cardenas being directly implicated in these criminal activities. Cardenas’s release from prison raises questions about whether he will be deported to Mexico or remain in the US, as US officials work on determining his final disposition.
Overall, the release of Osiel Cardenas, a notorious drug chief in Mexico, has stirred controversy as authorities decide on whether to deport him to Mexico or keep him in the US. Cardenas’s involvement in the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas, as well as his use of hyper-violent tactics, has left a lasting impact on Mexico’s history of drug trafficking and organized crime. As he faces his final disposition determination, the legacy of his violent tactics and criminal activities continues to loom large over both Mexico and the United States.
