Mexico extradites son of powerful cartel leader to United States

Mexico extradited the son of one of its most wanted drug lords to the United States on Thursday, a source in the attorney general's office said.

It is the latest sign of Mexico's commitment to step up extraditions after US President Donald Trump backed off from his threat to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.

Ruben Oseguera, who was captured in 2015, was believed to be an important figure in his father's gang, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. His father, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, remains at large. 

"He was extradited today in the afternoon from the state of Sonora on a direct flight to Washington," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters, referring to the son.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has come under criticism for his security strategy and, in particular, the bungled arrest of the son of another powerful kingpin.

In October, Mexican officials let go Ovidio Guzman, the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, after shootouts with drug gangs broke out in the streets of Culiacan, a major city.