Mexico pushes US extradition of ex‑governor García Cabeza de Vaca

President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated that former Tamaulipas governor Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca remains a fugitive of Mexican justice. She noted his dual Mexican‑U.S. citizenship and his residence in the United States, and said that Mexico has formally requested his extradition. A Mexican court recently dismissed the amparo he filed, removing the legal obstacle to an arrest order if he were on Mexican soil. The United States has held the request under review for about two years and has not yet acted.

Separately, Mexican ambassador to the United States Roberto Lazzeri said Mexico would extradite Sinaloa governor‑in‑waiting Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other officials only if Washington supplies sufficient evidentiary documentation. The U.S. Justice Department submitted ten extradition requests on 28 April 2026, and Mexico is awaiting the required proof to meet its legal standards. Lazzeri emphasized that all extradition demands must satisfy Mexican law before any surrender can occur.

Both the Sheinbaum statements and Lazzeri’s comments illustrate Mexico’s insistence on strict legal compliance in its bilateral security cooperation with the United States.