(Thumbnail image: Sky News)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Mexican authorities have captured a Texas-born drug boss widely considered one of the region’s most ruthless. Edgar Valdez Villarreal, also known as “La Barbie” for his fair complexion, is also wanted in the United States for distributing thousands of kilos of cocaine. (Video from Univision)

The international press is largely billing the capture as a major victory for Mexican President Felipe Calderone, who has made fighting the country’s drug cartels a primary goal of his administration.

KGNS in Laredo, Texas focuses on who Villarreal is to local residents, and why authorities were after him.

“He’s a former United High School football star, and regarded by many in Mexico and here in the Gateway City as a hero, but tonight he sits behind bars. ... Federal authorities say he’s a high-ranking member of the Arturo Beltran drug cartel. Some even added that he was on the verge of becoming the first American to sit on top of a Mexican drug cartel. Evidence in an ‘08 trial showed he played a key role in moving the kilos of cocaine through Laredo as they transported the drugs to the East Coast.”

A report for France 24 explains La Barbie was believed to be behind a surged of violence in Central Mexico in recent months, including the mass killing of 72 migrant workers near the U.S. border with Mexico.

“Mexican law enforcement agencies tracked the gang leader for more than a year before finally catching him in a residential area of Mexico City. The notorious drug kingpin is also wanted in the U.S. on charges of distributing thousands of kilos of cocaine. ... Vicious turf wars between rival gangs have left more than 28,000 people dead.”

ITN calls the arrest a “coup” for President Calderone as La Barbie makes the third high-profile drug boss captured in the last year.

“President Calderone has made it the central goal of his presidency to crush powerful cartels that run a racket raking in up to $40 billion dollars a year. But the resulting bloodshed, including gruesome torturing and butchering of captives, have overshadowed much of his successes.”

An article for the Buenos Aires Herald quotes a Mexican security analyst, who says — yes, this looks great for President Calderone, but don’t be so quick to call it a complete win.

“This is clearly an important capture and will take some pressure off Calderon in the short term but the impact will only be partial unless the government moves to arrest La Barbie’s hitmen and dismantles his gang...”

Mexican authorities have not said whether Villarreal will be extradited to the U.S.