The extradition agreement comes as Mexico continues to cooperate with the Trump administration despite its tariff threats.Mexico has expelled 26 alleged high-ranking cartel members to the United States, in its latest deal with the administration of President Donald Trump.The transfer was confirmed by a joint statement from the Mexican attorney general’s office and its security ministry on Tuesday.The statement said that the US Justice Department had sought the extradition and that it had given guarantees that the death penalty would not be levied against any of those prosecuted.The transfer comes as the Trump administration continues to exert pressure on Mexico to take more action against criminal gangs involved in drug smuggling and human trafficking.Part of that pressure campaign has come in the form of tariffs, with certain Mexican exports to the US now taxed at a higher rate.Trump has described the import tax as necessary to hold Mexico “accountable” for the “extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs”.In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has struck a careful balance when dealing with Trump, cooperating on some security issues, while drawing clear lines when it comes to her country’s sovereignty. That has included vehemently opposing any US military intervention on Mexican soil.Still, US media reported last week that Trump has secretly signed an order directing the military to take action against drug-smuggling cartels and other criminal groups from Latin America, which could presage the deployment of US forces both domestically and abroad.The move on Tuesday was the second time in recent months that Mexico has expelled alleged criminal gang members wan …
