The U.S. ambassador to Mexico confirmed on Friday that drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was transported to the United States against his will when he arrived in Texas in July alongside fellow drug lord Joaquín Guzmán López. Despite Zambada’s attorney initially claiming that he had been kidnapped, it had not been officially confirmed, leading some to speculate that Zambada had surrendered due to his age and poor health.
Ambassador Ken Salazar stated that evidence indicated Zambada was brought to the U.S. involuntarily, describing the operation as a cartel collaboration where one faction turned in the other. Zambada’s Sinaloa cartel faction has been embroiled in intense conflicts with another faction led by the sons of incarcerated drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, with Guzmán López being the half-brother of the factional leaders.
Reports indicate that Zambada was physically detained and forced onto a plane by Guzmán López, contradicting claims made by Zambada’s attorney that he did not surrender or negotiate with the U.S. government. Zambada appeared in federal court in Texas in early August following his custody in the U.S. Guzmán López, on the other hand, had been in discussions with U.S. authorities about potentially surrendering.
The unexpected arrival of Guzmán López’s plane at an airport near El Paso caught U.S. officials off guard, resulting in the arrest and detention of both men on various drug-related charges. Salazar mentioned that the plane had departed from Sinaloa without filing a flight plan, indicating a possible intention by Guzmán López to turn himself in and bringing Zambada to possibly secure better treatment.
Zambada, known for his involvement in the daily operations of the cartel, faces multiple charges in various U.S. cases. The capture of Zambada and Guzmán López, along with the betrayal between cartel factions, raised concerns about escalating violence within the divided cartel. This led Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to publicly appeal to drug cartels to avoid internal conflicts.
