U.S. Sanctions Mexican Activist Tied to Cartel

The United States on Tuesday announced sanctions against Raymundo Ramos, a prominent human rights activist in Mexico, alleging his collaboration with the Cartel of the Northeast. Ramos is accused of falsifying abuses by the Mexican Army to benefit the cartel's public image.

The U.S. Treasury Department claims Ramos, the president of the Committee for Human Rights of Nuevo Laredo, has been masquerading as a human rights defender for over a decade. His alleged activities include fabricating accusations against the military while on the cartel's payroll to tarnish efforts by Mexican law enforcement.

As a result of these sanctions, any U.S.-based assets Ramos may possess are frozen, and American persons are prohibited from engaging with him. Responses from Ramos and Mexican authorities regarding these allegations have not been immediate, although similar spying accusations arose in 2020 involving the Pegasus spyware program.