Mexican Authorities Arrest First Suspect in Killing of Mexican Prosecutor Tied to Fuel Theft Case

Mexican authorities in the northern state of Tamaulipas have arrested a suspect related to the murder of Ernesto Cuitláhuac Vázquez Reyna, a federal prosecutor who was killed earlier this week on broad daylight.

The suspect, identified as Jaret Roberto Hernández Rojas, is an alleged member of Los Metros, an armed wing of the Cártel del Golfo. He was apprehended by federal forces in the city of Reynosa and is accused of participating in the attack that led to Vázquez Reyna's death.

The arrest took place at a rehabilitation center where Hernández Rojas had reportedly been hiding. Authorities seized two high-caliber firearms, ammunition, drugs and a cellphone, which, according to a statement from the Attorney General's Office, contains key information about the criminal group and its involvement in the killing.

"Data found on his phone made it possible to precisely establish his direct involvement in the homicide, in his role as a member of Los Metros — a faction of the so-called Cártel del Golfo, which is one of the main groups behind fuel tax fraud in the region," the statement said.

On Tuesday, Mexico's Attorney General's Office said the attack could be retaliation by criminal groups following recent operations targeting their illicit fuel theft ring. In July, authorities seized 1.8 million liters of stolen fuel and dozens of vehicles.

Vázquez Reyna was murdered in Reynosa after a group of armed men intercepted his vehicle. According to local reports, the attackers threw a fragmentation grenade into the car before opening fire and fleeing the scene.

As the regional delegate of Mexico's Attorney General's Office in Tamaulipas, Vázquez Reyna was responsible for investigating federal crimes in a state where authorities regularly confront drug trafficking, fuel theft, human smuggling and extortion.

"There are reports of individuals who wanted to prevent Ernesto Vázquez from revealing information he had long held about figures connected to the late businessman Sergio Carmona," a journalist with knowledge of the matter said earlier this week, as reported by Infobae México.

"El Rey del Huachicol"

Investigative journalist Anabel Hernández reported earlier this year that Carmona — known as "El Rey del Huachicol" — built his fortune trafficking illegal fuel from Texas into Mexico through ties with both the Cártel del Noreste (CDN) and the Cártel del Golfo.

His influence extended into politics and public contracts, allegedly financing campaigns for the ruling party Morena, including the 2018 presidential race and the campaign of current Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal.

Carmona was murdered in November 2021, just weeks after he had reportedly begun cooperating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to sources cited by Hernández, he had started providing information about his network and its political links to American authorities.

Following Hernández Rojas' arrest, state prosecutors said he will be handed over to the appropriate authorities, as operations continue to locate and detain the remaining suspects.