Why is the arrest of the leader of the Sinaloa cartel and the son of “El Chapo” Guzmán in the US important?

Late Thursday afternoon, U.S. authorities confirmed the arrest of the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, and “El Chapo” Guzmán’s son, Joaquín Guzmán López, after landing in a private plane at the airport in El Paso, Texas.

According to a statement sent to the Voice of America According to the U.S. Department of Justice, both face several charges “for directing the cartel’s criminal operations” in addition to “their deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.”

The arrest of “El Mayo” could represent a victory for the North American authorities, since he was one of the most wanted drug lords. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was offering 15 million dollars for a clue that could lead to his capture.

Who is Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada?

American diplomat John Feeley, who worked at the US Embassy in Mexico and served as ambassador to Panama, described Ismael Zambada as “almost a legend” since the man, aged 76, had never been captured by the police.

“He had never been caught in Mexico or the United States, despite the fact that there had been a reward of about 15 million dollars for several years,” said Feeley. “It is the equivalent of what the Department of Justice is offering for Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela,” he added, to understand the importance of Zambada’s capture.

In this regard, he stressed that “El Mayo” had always maintained “a very low profile,” although both the US and Mexican authorities, according to him, were convinced that he lived “in the mountainous area of ​​Sinaloa.”

What role did he have with “El Chapo” Guzmán?

Alexei Chévez, a security and armed forces analyst in Mexico, told the VOA It is believed that “El Mayo” was involved in “political connections, bribery and coercion” without resorting to violence, while “El Chapo” was in charge, until his arrest, of the “operational part” of the organization.

“He was a drug trafficker that everyone trusted because he rarely resorted to violence, unlike his friend, ‘El Chapo,’ who was much more violent, like the other cartel leaders,” he said.

Who is Joaquin Guzman Lopez?

Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of “El Chapo” Guzmanalso had a key role in drug trafficking networks in Mexico. “He was involved and had a weight within the organization that he, along with his brothers, inherited after the extradition of his father to the USA“, said Chévez.

“He is the first to see the huge window that fentanyl represents in terms of what is fashionable and the profits that can be obtained. So he begins to promote, through his connection in practically the entire world, the sale of this very powerful drug,” he stressed.

How was the capture operation?

Analysts consulted by the VOA They agree that it is still too early to determine how the entire operation was orchestrated for their arrest. It is not yet known whether some kind of agreement was reached to have them turn themselves in to the authorities or whether another maneuver was carried out to capture them on US soil.

“As for ‘El Mayo’, he is a 76-year-old person and, regardless of how hard or light his sentence is, he will probably die in prison. It is not the same for Joaquín (Guzmán), who is much younger,” added Chévez about the future that both could face.

What is the reach of the Sinaloa cartel in the US?

These arrests are of great significance considering that a few months ago, the 2024 National Drug Assessment prepared by the DEA confirmed that the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel (CJNG) are present in all 50 states of the United States.

The document states that both organizations, considered the most powerful and dangerous in Mexico, are involved in “arms trafficking, money laundering, migrant trafficking, sex trafficking, bribery, extortion and other crimes, with a global reach and commercial operations in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.”

Despite their presence throughout the country, the report highlights that border states such as California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico are where the greatest activity of these organizations is recorded. Also in Florida, New York, and Washington, DC

“It is very worrying because now they are not only in metropolitan areas, but they are in rural areas,” explains Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA to the Voice of America, convinced that this is “a very serious threat to US national security.”

In this regard, Vigil, who has been working for several years in operations against drug trafficking from Mexico, explains that, traditionally, “the Sinaloa Cartel has always dominated many of the large cities and the Jalisco Cartel focused on rural areas such as West Virginia and others.”

The shadow of China

The DEA report details that the Sinaloa cartel can operate thanks to the development of “global supply chain networks” that they have been building in recent years. In other words, they operate in Mexico from what they call “clandestine laboratories” to then distribute the drugs in the United States. “They have partners in the United States to distribute the drugs at retail on the streets and on social networks,” the document states.

In the federal agency’s investigation, China appears as one of the key players in carrying out this operation. In the past, China had stood out as the supplier of precursors, as Vigil recalls.

“China is the country that sells them chemical precursors and then the two cartels use those precursors to produce methamphetamine and the most dangerous drugs, fentanyl,” he told the VOA.

“A triumph” for the US and Mexico

In light of all this, Feeley stressed that the capture of both “El Mayo” and “El Chapo’s” son is “an achievement for both peoples,” referring to the US and Mexico. “We must remember that, as much as Netflix and Hollywood have painted them as heroes or as ‘Robin Hood,’ the truth is that they are criminals, heartless people who have killed, extorted and committed crimes all their lives,” he added.

Along these lines, Alexei Chévez said that the fact that both are in US custody “is a huge victory for the American judicial system.” “We must remember that, unlike all the cartel leaders who were arrested in Mexico and then extradited to the US, this is the first time that a boss of this importance has been arrested on American soil,” he concluded.

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