Sarkozy: "The arrest of Garcia Luna didn't surprise me at all, I knew long ago that it was going to happen"

Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France between 2007 and 2012, spoke for the first time about the arrest of former Mexican Secretary of Security Genaro García Luna, whom he confronted during his meeting with Felipe Calderón over the arrest of French citizen Florence Cassez in 2005. Cassez was sentenced on kidnapping charges and served six years in prison until the Mexican Supreme Court ordered her release in 2013.

"I was not at all surprised. I didn't know when or how it was going to happen, but I've known for a long time that it was going to happen," the former French president told Proceso magazine about the arrest of García Luna, who is being held in the United States for allegedly working for the Sinaloa Cartel.

He added: "I am never happy to see someone fall, no matter what they have done. I was severe enough with that person when he was at the height of power and glory... Now that he's behind bars, I won't say a word against him. It's a matter of principle".

Sarkozy also spoke of his confrontation with then President Calderon over the Cassez case, which almost caused a diplomatic rupture "not between countries, but between their presidents".

The former French president describes the trial against his fellow citizen as "infamous" and said that from the moment he began to learn about the case, it was clear that it was a "hallucinatory montage".

"For me it was unacceptable that such a situation should occur in a democracy like Mexico, which is a country I have always admired and which I still admire. In reality, it was much more difficult to believe in Florence Cassez's guilt than in her innocence," he said.

Sarkozy also said that he "of course" supports Cassez's intention to take further legal action against Mexico.

"The rights of this French citizen have been trampled on. Her life was destroyed for seven years. A rule of law like Mexico's has an obligation to assume its responsibilities. That said, only the victim can make that decision. It is not my place to give her advice. But I would understand very well if she were to fight to have her reputation restored, not only through legal proceedings on the merits of her case, but also to demand compensation for the seven years that were stolen from her," the former president said.