Report: Border Patrol officials under investigation after Mexico trip for tequila collaboration

HARLINGEN, Texas ( ValleyCentral ) — Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez and another Border Patrol official are under investigation following an attempt to collaborate with a Mexican tequila maker, NBC News reported.

The two leaders were seen partying in Jalisco, Mexico with distiller Francisco Javier González of the Tequila Casa de los González, his family’s distillery complex, an NBC report stated. Photos of the trio began to circulate on social media in February.

According to NBC, a relationship between González, Chavez and Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens began when the agency discussed making a Border Patrol-branded tequila for its 100th anniversary. The Border Patrol’s centennial celebration will take place later this month in El Paso, Texas, without the anticipated tequila.

The collaboration never came to fruition due to questions raised about whether the officials involved divulged their contact with a foreign national — “a requirement for those who receive top security clearances, and whether they accepted anything that could be a violation of ethical rules,” NBC stated in its report.

An internal investigation of the Border Patrol’s part in this tequila visit is being conducted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility.

ValleyCentral reached out to CBP for comment and received the following statement from a CBP spokesperson:

“CBP has confidence in our senior leaders and holds them to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Consistent with our commitment to accountability, we thoroughly investigate all allegations and take appropriate action to address any issues identified throughout the course of investigations. CBP will continue to reinforce our commitment to the agency’s standards at all levels.”

According to an NBC report, the relationship between the three dates back to July 2023 when González hosted a party for CBP leaders in Laredo. It was there that the idea for a Border Patrol-branded tequila was allegedly born.

“González is the grandson of the founder of Don Julio tequila, a major international brand, and his family remains prominent in the industry,” the report stated.

NBC News reported that a spokesperson for CBP did not say whether Owens and Chavez disclosed their contact with González, or how they paid for their travel to Mexico.

In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for CBP stated, “The Border Patrol Centennial week poses unique ethical considerations, as a number of entities including non-profit organizations, private corporations, elected officials, and others are observing the occasion at a variety of public and private events scheduled over the centennial week. CBP leadership, including the Office of Chief Counsel, is working closely with event organizers within the agency to ensure all official planned events meet the highest ethical standards. This has included providing ethics advice as well as proactive briefings to senior CBP personnel who may be invited to other privately run Centennial related events.”

The centennial event is still a go for May 25, according to the USBP website. The Border Patrol-branded tequila will not be on the menu.

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