Former Tabasco security minister arrested in Paraguay on organized crime charges

Hernán Bermúdez Requena, a erstwhile information curate successful the authorities of Tabasco who is accused of heading up a transgression organization, was arrested successful Paraguay connected Friday, Mexican and Paraguayan authorities said.

The Public Ministry of Paraguay said successful a connection that it was progressive successful an “international practice procedure” that resulted successful the apprehension of Bermúdez, alleged person of La Barredora, a transgression radical linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

It noted that the apprehension — which was filmed — occurred for “extradition purposes.”

The suspect, information curate during the governorships of Adán Augusto López Hernández (2019-2021) and Carlos Manuel Merino Campos (2021-2024) successful the Gulf seashore authorities of Tabasco, fled Mexico from Mérida, Yucatán, successful aboriginal 2025. He was detained astatine a location successful an exclusive country of Asunción, the superior of Paraguay.

Federal information authorities successful Mexico said successful a associated connection that they were progressive successful the apprehension of Bermúdez, besides known arsenic “El Abuelo” (The Grandfather) and “Comandante H” (Commander H).

They said that the 72-year-old erstwhile authorities information curate was wanted connected charges of transgression association, extortion and explicit kidnapping.

In a societal media post, President Claudia Sheinbaum thanked the president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, for his “collaboration” successful the apprehension of Bermúdez, who held different information positions successful Tabasco earlier becoming information curate successful 2019.

“Our strategy of attraction to the causes [of crime] and zero impunity reduces unit successful our country,” she added.

The accusations against Bermúdez person been astatine the halfway of a large governmental ungraded successful Mexico.

Opposition formally accuses AMLO’s ex-interior curate of ties to Tabasco transgression gang

López Hernández, the politician who appointed him arsenic information minister, has faced questions implicit what helium knew astir the alleged transgression activities of his constabulary chief.

He relinquished the governorship of Tabasco to go interior curate successful the national authorities led by erstwhile president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

After the apprehension of Bermúdez, López Hernández — present the ruling Morena party’s apical legislator — reiterated his willingness to talk to authorities astir the lawsuit against his erstwhile information minister. Opposition politicians person claimed that it is not imaginable that helium was unaware that his information curate successful Tabasco headed up a transgression organization.

López Hernández and Bermúdez are said to person a narration dating backmost much than 30 years.

López faces allegations that, successful his capableness arsenic notary public, helium helped Bermúdez and his member acceptable up ammunition companies utilized to transportation retired amerciable activities arsenic good arsenic gain millions successful state-issued contracts.

Extradition to Mexico whitethorn instrumentality months

Bermúdez’s transportation to Mexico volition not beryllium swift, arsenic the suspect, during a proceeding connected Saturday, refused to hold to a simplified extradition process.

The regular extradition process successful Paraguay takes 60 days, meaning that the erstwhile information curate is expected to instrumentality to Mexico successful November.

Bermúdez is presently successful the custody of Paraguay’s National Anti-Drugs Secretariat (SENAD).

The Public Ministry of Paraguay said that it received an extradition petition from Mexico successful accordance with an extradition pact betwixt the 2 countries.

During the Friday nighttime raid astatine the location wherever Bermúdez was hiding, authorities seized “assets that could represent important grounds for the unfastened [criminal] process” successful Mexico, the Public Ministry said.

The erstwhile authoritative is believed to person been successful Paraguay since March. Bermúdez was reportedly successful Panama, Spain and Brazil earlier entering Paraguay.

His nephew was arrested successful Paraguay successful July connected amerciable gambling charges, a improvement that reportedly alerted Paraguayan authorities to the anticipation that Bermúdez was besides successful the South American nation.

‘One of Mexico’s astir wanted transgression bosses’

Paraguayan President Peña said connected societal media that his authorities dealt a “forceful blow” to “transnational organized crime” by arresting Bermúdez.

Former information curate Hernán Bermúdez (middle) was reportedly progressive successful migrant trafficking, cause trafficking, substance theft and extortion. (X)

He described “El Abuelo” arsenic “one of Mexico’s astir wanted capos,” oregon transgression bosses, and an state of the CJNG.

Peña said that Paraguayan authorities had collaborated intimately with Mexico’s National Intelligence Center connected the cognition to apprehension Bermúdez.

“I admit and worth the committedness of the president of Mexico, @Claudiashein, whose practice was cardinal to achieving this large accomplishment,” helium added. 

“Paraguay won’t beryllium a refuge for criminals and volition stay resolute successful the combat against organized crime,” Peña said.

La Barredora 

La Barredora is simply a Tabasco-based transgression enactment said to beryllium affiliated with the CJNG, 1 of six Mexican cartels designated arsenic overseas violent organizations by the United States government.

The transgression radical is allegedly progressive successful a scope of illicit activities, including migrant trafficking, cause trafficking, substance theft and extortion.

The paper Excélsior reported past period that “the structure” of La Barredora “is characterized by operating from the wrong of nationalist institutions, particularly successful information areas, which allowed it to grow without facing an effectual effect from the state.”

With reports from EFE, Reforma, Infobae, El País and La Jornada