Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada of the Sinaloa cartel, was unexpectedly apprehended by the United States. However, Mexican prosecutors and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador are contemplating treason charges against those who facilitated his capture. The arrest unfolded when Zambada appeared on a flight near El Paso, Texas in July, organized by another drug trafficker intending to surrender himself.
The son of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, Joaquín Guzmán López, purportedly took Zambada against his will to the United States before landing, leading to the potential treason charges being mulled over by Mexican authorities. Despite Zambada’s notorious history of spreading violence and fear throughout Mexico, the country’s Attorney General’s Office is dissecting the scenario for crimes including illegal flight, kidnapping, and treason.
President López Obrador, who has been critical of U.S. interventions in Mexico’s crime issues, insinuated that the episode might be a ploy to tarnish his Morena party’s reputation by linking them to drug lords. Zambada’s lawyer released a statement suggesting the drug lord was deceived into boarding the plane under false pretenses, seemingly involving political figures from Sinaloa who have refuted any involvement with the criminals.
The Sinaloa cartel’s strategist, Zambada, faces charges in the U.S. alongside Guzmán López, who allegedly orchestrated the plane trip. The motive behind bringing Zambada with him to surrender remains unclear. Zambada, known for his operational role within the cartel, has been entangled in internal disputes within the organization.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the Mexican authorities are investigating the case and the possible collaboration between drug traffickers and politicians in Sinaloa. The arrest of Zambada has raised significant questions regarding the ties between criminal elements and influential figures within the region.