U.S. President Barack Obama called Mexican President Felipe Calderon to voice support to Mexico's fight in the drug war, following the death of Antonio Cardenas Guillen, a drug trafficking leader in the country, White House said on Saturday.
"President Obama spoke today with Mexican President Felipe Calderon to reaffirm United States support for Mexico's efforts to end the impunity of organized criminal groups following yesterday's operation in Matamoros against Gulf Cartel leader Antonio Cardenas Guillen, known as Tony Tormenta, in which Cardenas Guillen died," White House said in a statement.
"The President offered his condolences to President Calderon on the death of Mexican officials involved in the operation, as well as the death of Matamoros journalist Carlos Guajardo," said the statement.
White House said Obama thanked Calderon for Mexico's close coordination with U.S. officials to help assure the safety of U.S. citizens in Matamoros, Xinhua reported.
Antonio Cardenas Guillen, leader of Mexican drug trafficking gang the Gulf Cartel, was killed on Friday by Mexican authorities.
Cardenas died in Matamoros, a port city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, during an attempt to arrest him, which included 660 officers, three helicopters and 17 land vehicles.
The Gulf Cartel operates on Mexico's east coast, especially in the states of Veracruz and Tamaulipas.
The group of organized crimes, which has existed since the 1970s, reportedly smuggles marijuana and methamphetamine into U.S. state of Texas, which neighbors Tamaulipas to the north. It also has protection and kidnap rackets and has been linked to the murder of 72 migrants at a Tamaulipas ranch in August.
Cardenas had taken control of the organization in 2003 after the death of his brother Osiel Cardenas Guillen.