Overview
- The Foreign Ministry submitted a provisional arrest request to the U.S. Embassy to pursue extradition of Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca.
- On Feb. 11, a federal judge in Tamaulipas denied him protection from arrest, leaving two active warrants in place.
- The extradition move is anchored to an October 2022 warrant alleging organized crime and illicit finance, with a second order issued in February 2024.
- Mexican authorities say he is outside the country, reportedly in the United States, and U.S. officials have not announced any detention or action on the request.
- His defense claims a definitive judicial suspension prevents his arrest and is appealing, while prosecutors dispute that position and say any Interpol notice pause was temporary.