Genaro García Luna, once Mexico’s top security official, played a key role in the war on drugs during President Felipe Calderón’s term. However, his image as a crime-fighter shattered when evidence surfaced that he had collaborated with the Sinaloa Cartel. García Luna allegedly accepted millions in bribes from the cartel to protect their operations and target rival groups like Los Zetas and the Beltrán Leyva Organization.
In December 2019, U.S. authorities arrested him in Dallas, Texas, and charged him with drug trafficking, organized crime, and false statements. His trial exposed how Mexico’s war on drugs was undermined by corruption at the highest levels.
In February 2023, García Luna was found guilty. His fall serves as a reminder of how power, betrayal, and corruption have shaped Mexico’s drug war.
