The US sanctioned three prominent Mexican financial institutions over their alleged role in laundering money for cartels.
Washington said the firms funneled money to Chinese firms that produce the precursors for fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that has stoked a drug epidemic in the US. One of the sanctioned firms is owned by the former chief of staff for ex-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who crime experts say gave free rein to drug cartels. The groups now control around a third of the country.
The sanctions are a further blow to President Claudia Sheinbaum: Last month, Washington canceled the visas of several senior party officials over their alleged ties to crime groups.
AD