Carlos Joaquín González, Mexico’s current ambassador to Canada, is facing serious accusations over alleged ties to organized crime during his tenure as governor of Quintana Roo.
In a radio interview, former Quintana Roo official Gabriel Mendicuti claimed González enabled cartel activity in the state by using his son to extort local businesses. Mendicuti alleged that the ambassador’s son demanded payments from entrepreneurs in exchange for operating in the region—actions that, according to him, allowed criminal organizations to thrive.
“Carlos Joaquín González is a criminal,” Mendicuti said. “He sold the state to criminals.” He also made a chilling prediction, stating that the ambassador’s son “will be killed in the next few weeks.”
The allegations are the latest in a series of corruption scandals involving Mexican politicians and cartel connections. In May, former mayor of Teuchitlán, Jalisco, José Ascención Murguía Santiago, was arrested after an investigation revealed deep ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Authorities accused Murguía of collaborating directly with cartel leadership, facilitating kidnappings and using the notorious Izaguirre Ranch—believed to be a CJNG stronghold—for illegal detentions, executions, and training.
According to prosecutors, Murguía provided the cartel with municipal police officers, firearms, and patrol vehicles, allegedly in return for monthly payments of around $3,500 delivered in cash at secret locations. Testimony also indicated he participated in the disposal of human remains, with evidence linking him to clandestine graves near the ranch.
Mexican authorities have not yet issued formal charges against González, but the claims are likely to intensify scrutiny over the country’s ongoing struggle to separate political leadership from cartel influence.
