Plea Deal Reveals Details of Sinaloa Capo’s Abduction, Alleged Attempt to Gain Favor wiht U.S.
WASHINGTON – A plea agreement revealed in U.S. court Monday detailed teh extraordinary circumstances surrounding the capture of legendary Sinaloa cartel figure Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in July 2024, alleging he was abducted as part of an effort by Ovidio Guzmán López – son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín ”El chapo” Guzmán – to demonstrate cooperation with U.S. authorities. The deal, while perhaps sparing Guzmán López a life sentence, confirms suspicions surrounding the arrest and reveals a brazen kidnapping orchestrated to deliver a key target to the United States.
According to court testimony from U.S. government attorney Andrew Erskine, Guzmán López allegedly arranged the removal of glass from a window in a room where a meeting with Zambada and local politicians was to take place near Culiacán, Sinaloa. Armed men, believed to be associated with Guzmán’s faction known as “los Chapitos,” then entered through the window, seized Zambada, and transported him via plane to a New Mexico airport.Zambada was reportedly sedated and zip-tied during the flight.
zambada, in a letter shared by his lawyer following his arrest, corroborated the account, stating he was lured to the meeting under the guise of discussions with local politicians, one of whom was later found dead. Despite recognizing the armed men as likely affiliated with a rival faction within the cartel, Zambada reportedly trusted Guzmán López enough to enter the meeting.
Erskine stated that Guzmán López will not receive cooperation credit for the alleged kidnapping, emphasizing that the U.S.government did not sanction the actions.
The arrest of both Zambada and Guzmán López sparked outrage from then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who publicly questioned U.S. involvement. Washington denied direct participation, though experts previously suggested U.S.knowledge of the operation was likely.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office has indicated it is considering treason charges against Guzmán López and any others involved in the plot. The arrests also triggered a violent power struggle within the Sinaloa cartel, a conflict that continues to be a challenge for current Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“El Chapo“ Guzmán is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2019 for his decades-long leadership of the Sinaloa cartel and large-scale drug smuggling operations into the United States.
Guzmán López’s defence attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, stated the plea deal is expected to allow his client to avoid a life sentence. The case highlights the complex and often volatile dynamics within the Sinaloa cartel and the lengths to which its members will go to navigate the shifting landscape of power and legal pressure.
