Mexico extradicts 4 major drug padrons

AP/NY Times:

Mexico extradited four major drug traffickers to the U.S. on Friday, a sign that the nation's new president will deliver on his promise for more cooperation in fighting cross-border crime.

Osiel Cardenas, the purported Gulf cartel leader who is believed to still be running the drug organization from behind bars in Mexico, was extradited along with 13 others wanted in the U.S., all of whose appeals against extradition had run out, the Attorney General's office said in a news release.

The United States has long been frustrated by Mexico's reluctance to extradite Mexican drug lords also wanted in the U.S.

Mexico has said the suspects had to face justice in their own country first.

But that attitude changed under former President Vicente Fox, who promised to hand over top criminals to the U.S.

President Felipe Calderon initiated an aggressive push against drug gangs shortly after taking office on Dec. 1.

''Today, both the Mexican and the American people can celebrate a monumental moment in our two nations' battle with the vicious drug traffickers and criminals who threaten our very way of life,'' U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza said in a statement.

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Ten others wanted on charges of murder, drug trafficking and sex-related crimes, also were extradited, officials said.

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This is good news for the rule of law in Mexico. President Calderon has been aggressively going after the narco thugs some of which have continued to rule their empires from inside prison in Mexico. Moving them to the US for trial will make that much more difficult. It will also get them away from potential corrupt Mexican officials. Calderon may be the best President Mexico has had ever, based on his early actions since taking office. So far, he has not slowed for a siesta. You can bet if the socialist had won, the chances are remote that he would have made a priority out of cleaning up the drug thugs.