On June 25, the US Justice Division introduced the arrest of two high-ranking leaders of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel – co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
“Each males are going through a number of expenses in the US for main the Cartel’s legal operation,” US Lawyer Basic Merrick Garland mentioned in an announcement on June 25.
Zambada, 76 and Guzman, 38, are the newest Sinaloa cartel leaders arrested by the Justice Division. El Chapo and one other of his sons, Ovidio Guzman Lopez – together with Nestor Isidro Perez Salas or “El Nini” – are already in US custody for drug trafficking.
US President Joe Biden counseled the regulation enforcement officers “for his or her ongoing work to carry Sinaloa cartel leaders to justice”.
However the circumstances of their arrests in El Paso, Texas are shrouded in thriller, with the US ambassador to Mexico on Friday acknowledging that Zambada was dropped at the US towards his will, whereas Zambada’s lawyer has claimed that his consumer was kidnapped by Guzman from Mexico. Guzman’s lawyer, then again, mentioned that it was voluntary give up.
So what do we all know in regards to the arrests and the way they may have an effect on the drug cartels? How will this influence bilateral ties between the US and Mexico?
What do we all know in regards to the arrests?
It’s alleged that Guzman lured Zambada to board the aircraft below the pretense of exploring actual property property, just for the plane to finally head in the direction of the US border and for the 2 to be arrested by regulation enforcement.
El Chapo, the previous chief of the Sinaloa cartel, was extradited in January 2017 to the US, the place he confronted expenses together with drug trafficking, cash laundering, and fascinating in a seamless legal enterprise.
In 2019, El Chapo was sentenced to life in jail on the US penitentiary ADX Florence, a “supermax” high-security jail in Colorado.
Particulars are nonetheless murky in regards to the current arrests, with Zambada and Guzman giving conflicting accounts of what occurred.
“I used to be ambushed,” Zambada mentioned in an announcement launched by way of his lawyer on Saturday. Zambada’s legal professional introduced on Friday that Guzman and 6 males in navy uniforms “forcibly kidnapped” his consumer in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state. They then proceeded to move him towards his will to the US.
Guzman’s lawyer denies this, saying it was a voluntary give up after extended discussions with US regulation enforcement.
What can we find out about Zambada and Guzman Lopez?
Zambada started his legal profession within the Nineteen Eighties, initially working with the Juarez cartel and Amado Carrillo Fuentes earlier than partnering with “El Chapo” to guide the Sinaloa cartel.
Recognized for sustaining a low profile whereas specializing in the enterprise features of drug trafficking relatively than resorting to violence, he was indicted within the US in 2003, with a reward for his seize growing to $15m.
Guzman, recognized by his alias “El Guero Moreno”, is the son of “El Chapo”, the previous chief of the Sinaloa cartel.
Alongside together with his brothers, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, he led a faction inside the cartel generally known as “Los Chapitos.” Ovidio Guzman Lopez is at present within the US custody.
This group, “Los Chapitos”, has been concerned in drug trafficking operations, together with the distribution of fentanyl and different illicit substances throughout the US.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug risk our nation has ever confronted, and the Justice Division won’t relaxation till each single cartel chief, member, and affiliate accountable for poisoning our communities is held accountable,” US Lawyer Basic Garland mentioned.
Following their current arrests, the cartel members have pleaded not responsible to a number of drug trafficking expenses within the US.
What are Mexican and US authorities saying in regards to the seize?
US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar confirmed that Zambada was dropped at the US involuntarily, stating, “The proof we noticed signifies that they introduced El Mayo Zambada towards his will.”
Mexico has requested the US to disclose the circumstances surrounding the arrests. The shortage of cooperation from the US authorities in clarifying these particulars was a supply of frustration for the outgoing Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who known as for transparency from the US.
Claudia Sheinbaum, who shall be sworn in on October 1 as Mexico’s new president, has not made any public statements in regards to the current arrests.
The US’s Garland described the operation that led to their arrests because of betrayal inside the cartel.
How will this influence US relations with Mexico?
The shock nature of the arrests has fuelled hypothesis in regards to the extent of US involvement in cartel affairs, which has additional heightened the Mexican administration’s mistrust of US safety insurance policies.
The Mexican authorities has persistently demonstrated sensitivity in the direction of issues of nationwide sovereignty when participating with the US. The arrest of Zambada and Guzman has the potential to pressure relations between the 2 neighbours.
Mexico’s Secretary of Safety Rosa Icela Rodriguez said that it’s unclear whether or not Zambada’s switch was a voluntary give up or a kidnapping, and she or he has known as for extra data from US officers.
Mexico has lengthy cooperated with the US in its so-called warfare on medicine. The US has additionally sought Mexico’s assist in tackling the arrival of asylum seekers to the US border. However ties have been examined since Lopez Obrador turned Mexico’s president in 2018.
How will this influence the way forward for the Sinaloa cartel?
The arrests have raised issues amongst Mexican authorities in regards to the potential escalation in violence inside drug trafficking teams.
The rivalry inside the Sinaloa cartel, particularly the competitors between Zambada’s faction and Guzman’s faction alongside his brothers, would possibly gasoline an impending energy battle that might doubtlessly set off violent clashes.
This might doubtlessly result in different cartels exploiting the rivalry inside the Sinaloa cartel. The Jalisco New Era cartel might make the most of the Sinaloa cartel’s weakened state and try and broaden its territory and affect.
However for the US, this marks an enormous success in its warfare on medicine.
“Too a lot of our residents have misplaced their lives to the scourge of fentanyl,” US President Biden has mentioned. “Too many households have been damaged and are struggling due to this harmful drug. My administration will proceed doing all the things we will to carry lethal drug traffickers to account and to avoid wasting American lives.”
