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US suspends avocado inspections in Mexican state due to unspecified threat
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. has suspended all government operations in Michoacan, Mexico, including avocado inspections crucial for exports, due to a "threat to U.S. interests," following recent arrests linked to extortion.
- Michoacan, the top avocado exporter to the U.S., faces significant cartel activity, with at least four criminal groups involved in drug trafficking and extortion, particularly targeting the avocado industry.
- The arrest of Alfonso Fernández Magallón, aka "El Poncho," a local cartel leader, was welcomed by the U.S., which had offered a $5 million reward for his capture; 300 security personnel were deployed as a preventive measure in the region.
- The suspension of inspections threatens to disrupt avocado exports, which are vital to the region's economy, generating around 200,000 jobs and accounting for about 80% of U.S. avocado imports.
- Mexico's avocado exports to the U.S. reached $3.65 billion in 2025, with a 35% increase in exports in the first four months of the current year compared to the previous year, highlighting the economic importance of the sector.
