Federal security forces seized 59 million liters of diesel from a Guanajuato fuel depot on September 17. The owning company, Grupo SIMSA, subsequently released permits to prove the facility was legal, leading to accusations that the operation was staged to distract from high-level corruption.
The 59 million liters of diesel at the center of the Guanajuato raid
On September 17, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) and federal security units executed a massive operation at a sprawling fuel depot in the state of Guanajuato. According to the report, the government seized 59 million liters of diesel, framing the move as a decisive strike against huachicol—the illegal smuggling and theft of fuel that provides critical funding for drug cartels.
Omar García Harfuch,the minister of the Interior and Public Security, publiclly characterized the event as a "historic seizure" during a press conference. However, a glaring detail undermines the government's narrative: despite the scale of the diesel seizure, no individuals were taken into custody during the operation. This lack of arrests has fueled skepticism regarding the raid's actual objective.
Grupo SIMSA's evidence of federal and state compliance
The narrative of a "clandestine" network was immediately challenged by Grupo SIMSA, the company that owns the San Jose Iturbide depot. The company released a comprehensive set of documents proving that the facility had operated legally for nine years.. As the report says, Grupo SIMSA provided approval numbers from multiple regulatory bodies, including the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente and the Civil Aeronautics and Transportation Departments.
By making these permits available in public databases, Grupo SIMSA has created a paradox where a fully comlpiant corporate entity was targeted by the highest levels of Mexican security. The company maintains that the entire operation was carried out in accordance with all national and state regulations, suggesting that the federal government's claims of illegal activity were entirely unwarranted.
The DOJ indictment of Ruben Rocha Moya and US pressure
This incident occurs amid intensifying pressure from the United States for Mexico to crack down on the flow of illicit funds and weapons. The timing of the raid is particularly sensitive given that the U.S. Department of Justice has a pending indictment against Ruben Rocha Moya, the former governor of Sinaloa. Rocha Moya is accused of drug and weapons trafficking conspiracy and is currently considered a high-profile fugitive.
Critics argue that the Guanajuato raid was engineered as a performative victory to appease Washington.. By flagging a "historic" seizure,the Mexican government may be attempting to signal progress in its anti-cartel campaign while simultaneously shielding political allies like Rocha Moya, who reeportedly continues to enjoy presidential protection in Mexico.
The disappearance of Rafael Ojeda and the AMLO family links
The controversy extends beyond a single fuel depot to a wider web of naval and political corruption. Former Secretary of the Navy Rafael Ojeda has vanished following allegations that he was complicit in large-scale cartel fuel operations. This scandal has already led to the arrests of two of Ojeda's nephews, both former naval vice-admirals, who are allegedly linked to a network involving the sons of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
These overlapping scandals leave several critical questions unanswered. It remains unclear why the FGR targeted a legal facility like Grupo SIMSA while high-ranking officials like Rafael Ojeda remain missing. Furthermore, the extent of the involvement of the sons of Andrés Manuel López Obrador in fuel trafficking networks has not been fully disclosed, leaving the public to wonder if the Guanajuato raid was a calculated diversion to protect the former president's inner circle.
Comments 0