FGR Searches Fausto Corrales' Home, Missing Witness in Hector Cuen's Death & Relative of Recently Killed Cartel Members

Leaked photo of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda’s autopsy.

Deputy Sinaloa Prosecutor Claims No Irregularities

Deputy Attorney General Dámaso Castro Saavedra said there was no irregularity in the preparation of the investigation file for the murder of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda.

“As far as I’m concerned, as far as what I’ve done, yes (I’m calm), everyone who worked on the file is responsible and knows what they have to do,” he said.

He mentioned that the gas station version was always said to be the witness’s version.

One of the functions of the Prosecutor’s Office, he mentioned, is to confirm or discard versions and that one would possibly be discarded because they were obtaining information that did not match that of the witness.

“What we had at that time was a report of a person who had died and then we started the investigation file with the information we had,” he said. Beyond the allegations mentioned in the FGR statement, I do not see any irregularities, he indicated.

Sinaloa Political Party Connected Murders

Hector Cuen Ojeda founded the Sinaloa Party (PAS) in 2012 and was its President until he was named by Governor Rocha in 2021 as Secretary of Health, which he was dismissed from earlier this year. His replacement as head of the political party was Víctor Antonio Corrales, the father of the key witness to Cuen’s death.

Víctor Antonio Corrales

PAS as a political organization that plays an important role in political alliances in Sinaloa. Since in the elections for governor in 2021, it was in alliance with Morena that Héctor Cuén was a key member of Rubén Rocha’s team to promote his campaign.

For the 2024 elections, the PAS was in coalition with the PRI, PAN and PRD, that resulted in a federal deputy seat for Héctor Cuén. He was to begin that term at the end of this month and had an element of GN soldiers as part of his protection detail until his term began in August. Several weeks before his death, that protection was removed and Cuen blamed Governor Rocha and held him responsible for whatever was to happen to him.

Cuen’s mysterious death following the kidnapping and US arrest of “El Mayo,” hasn’t been the only death connected to the political party and possibly the events of that day.

Hector Cuen Ojeda and Sonia Estela Garcia Gorrales.

Through an obituary post shared on the PAS social networks, PAS in Elota sent condolences to Sonia Estela García Corrales for the death of her brothers who were linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Sonia is the president of PAS party in the municipality of Elota where her brothers, Martin and Jose Ricardo Garcia Corrales, and another were found tortured and murdered along with another unidentified man.

“We deeply regret the passing of: José Ricardo García Corrales and Martín García Corrales, brothers of our president and friend Sonia Estela García Corrales,” the statement said.

The three men were found in Elota on a dirt road that connects Conitaca with Las Higueras. Their bodies showed obvious signs of torture and their hands were tied. Bullet casings were also found at the scene, suggesting that they were executed on the spot.

Martin Garcia Corrales was the brother of Leobardo Garcia Corrales. According to the US Treasury OFAC, both Mexican nationals and associates of Los Chapitos, are large-scale methamphetamine and fentanyl manufacturers in Sinaloa, Mexico. The US State Department was offering a $4 million reward for information leading to the capture of “El Tano.”

The brothers negotiated the sale of illicit fentanyl in the United States and operate fentanyl labs in Oaxaca, Mexico. They used the proceeds from fentanyl sales to purchase automatic rifles, grenades, and other weapons. Both are known associates of Joaquin Archivaldo “El Chapo” Guzman Loera and “El Mayo”.

Martin worked under his brother Leobardo Garcia Corrales who is considered a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel. “Don Leoba” is described by the US government as a key operator for Ivan and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, who liked to brag about his closeness with the leaders of Los Chapitos.

Also known as “El Tano” or “Cachuchas,” Martin Garcia Corrales was one of the most wanted in the United States for trafficking fentanyl for the Sinaloa Cartel and it is believed that he had protection from political relatives, members the PAS.

Luis Alonso García Corrales

Culiacan Candidate Disappeared for 3 Days in April

“El Tano” was also unofficially identified as the brother of Luis Alonso García Corrales, a former candidate for councilor in Culiacán for the PAS. In the records of the State Executive Committee of the PAS, Luis Alonso appears as “Secretary of Organization.”

Three days later, the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, confirmed that Luis Alonso García Corrales and Francisco Cerón Beltrán had been found alive. However, he did not disclose the cause of their disappearance.

Through a press conference, the founder of the political organization presented a video that exposes the moment in which García Corrales and one of his collaborators, Juan Francisco Cerón Beltrán , were intercepted by alleged elements of the Municipal Police on the morning of April 13, 2024.

When searching for information on García Corrales and Cerón Beltrán in the National Registry of Arrests (RND), no record appears that identifies them as arrested, so the conditions under which the apparent elements of the Municipal Police stopped them are unknown.

The PAS candidate and Francisco Cerón, were found alive after three days of searching. During a press conference, PAS founder Héctor Cuén Ojeda revealed a series of videos that the organization obtained as part of the investigation they were conducting outside of the Sinaloan authorities. The videos showed a red and black Ford Mustang car that, as previously reported, was seemingly watching Luis García’s home minutes before his disappearance.

At 7:55 a.m. the alleged municipal elements let them go and 15 minutes later, Luis Alonso’s phone went off.

When the police vehicle stopped them, the Ford Mustang that had previously been parked at the candidate’s house passed by and momentarily stopped. Cuén cited this as an indicator of its possible connection to the disappearance.