Edgar Fabián Villaseñor García, widely recognized by his aliases “El Gary” or “El Monje,” presumed head of the Jalisco Cartel – New Generation (CJNG), has been extradited to the United States. The extradition was facilitated by the Mexican Attorney General’s Office (FGR) after a Federal Court in the District of Columbia sought him on charges of “crimes against health, criminal association, and carrying weapons.”
The FGR confirmed in a press statement that Villaseñor García was extradited from the 15th Federal Center for Social Readaptation in Villa de Comaltitlán, Chiapas. He had been detained there on charges of aggravated kidnapping. The handover occurred at the Mexico City International Airport, where U.S. officials took custody of him.
Recent extraditions set precedence
Notably, this move follows closely on the heels of the extradition of Ovidio Guzmán López, the son of the infamous Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, to the U.S. Current reports suggest Guzmán López, colloquially known as “Mouse,” is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.
The process has been hailed as a significant joint effort between the administrations of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Joe Biden.
Who is “El Gary”?
Villaseñor García, also dubbed “El Gary” or “El Monje,” has been flagged by the FGR as a top-tier leader of a notorious criminal syndicate. While the FGR has been cautious about naming the group, it is widely believed to be the CJNG, implicated in trafficking substantial quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to the U.S.
It’s essential to highlight an incident from February 2018 when businessman Jorge Antonio Castillo Rodríguez was abducted. Subsequent narco-banner revelations linked him as a potential CJNG leader, while “El Gary” emerged as a key operative within the cartel. Until his recent extradition, Villaseñor García was incarcerated in Chiapas, undergoing prosecution for kidnapping charges. During this period, the U.S. government’s extradition request was honored.
The reach of the CJNG in Mexico
The Jalisco Cartel – New Generation stands out as one of Mexico’s dominant forces in drug trafficking. The U.S. Department of Justice labeled it “the best-armed cartel in Mexico.” A U.S. Congressional Research Service report, cited by El Universal, states that the CJNG operates in 28 of Mexico’s 32 states.
A crucial factor in their expansive influence can be attributed to the decline of the Sinaloa Cartel, especially after the extradition and subsequent trial of “El Chapo” Guzmán.