Former Cartel-Linked Mexican Governor to Be Extradited to Texas

REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — The Mexican government granted an extradition request filed by the United States for a former cartel-linked Tamaulipas governor facing money laundering charges in Texas.

Current Tamaulipas governor Francisco Cabeza de Vaca said he received notice from Mexico City about the extradition of former Governor Eugenio Hernandez Flores who is wanted in the Southern District of Texas on money laundering charges.

“This is one of many other actions that need to take place,” Cabeza de Vaca said during a public event in Ciudad Victoria. “I said this when I took office, we are going to bring justice to the people of Tamaulipas and give back to the people what was taken from them. We are going to get back all the properties that were stolen from the state and those who took them will face justice.”

Hernandez was the governor of Tamaulipas from 2005 to 2010. During his term, the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas were able to grow with complete impunity. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an unsealed indictment against Hernandez on multiple money laundering charges and was now considered a fugitive. 

Under Cabeza de Vaca, who took office in 2016, Tamaulipas authorities arrested Hernandez in October on charges tied to embezzlement and illegal purchases of state properties. Since then, Hernandez was jailed without bond while the current governor pushed for Hernandez’s extradition. Testimony in other related prosecutions and civil matters claim Hernandez laundered embezzled funds and bribes from Mexican cartels.

“It is up to the federal government,” Cabeza de Vaca said. “We did our part and we have been firm in moving the state forward and getting back what was taken from the state.”

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon.  You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.

Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.