Security Cabinet Review: Mexico Probes Allegations of Sinaloa Cartel Coercion at Canadian-Owned Gold Mine

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s security cabinet is probing allegations that a Sinaloa cartel faction coerced union voters at a Canadian-owned gold mine.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 10:39 AM EDT

Source: CBC News

CUSMA Panel Identifies Systematic Employer Interference

The three-member CUSMA rapid response labor panel issued a final determination on February 13, concluding that the Camino Rojo mine management engaged in "employer interference." According to the panel, management failed to protect workers from intimidation and coercion aimed at ousting the National Union of Workers for Mining, Metalworking and Similar (Mineros Union) in favor of the Beneficio de Minas union. The latter has been characterized in U.S. filings as a "protection union" designed to prioritize employer interests over those of the workforce.

Alleged Cartel Operatives on Mine Payroll

Publicly available U.S. filings contain startling allegations that the mine hired a contractor known as "el Paul" (or "el Mocho"), identified as a member of the Operativa Flechas—an elite unit of the Sinaloa cartel’s Mayiza faction. Evidence presented to the panel included photographs of the individual in a vehicle bearing the logo of Vancouver-based Orla Mining. "El Paul" allegedly interrupted union meetings accompanied by armed men, threatening Mineros Union members with death if they did not withdraw their representation claims.

Post-Vote Intimidation and Diplomatic Strain

The climate of violence reportedly persisted long after the November 2024 vote. Evidence includes a handwritten death threat delivered to a union member’s home in April 2025, which stated "Camino Rojo is already mine." Security consultants indicate that the Operativa Flechas have operated in favor of the mining company for nearly five years, functioning as a paramilitary security force in the semi-desert region of Mazapil. This situation has created a diplomatic challenge for Canada, as labor advocates call for criminal complaints against Orla Mining for its alleged ties to a designated terrorist organization.