Mexican drug lord ‘El Mayo’ pleads not guilty to US charges

MEXICO CITY >> Alleged Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada has pleaded not guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges, court records show today, after he and the son of another drug lord were arrested Thursday in El Paso, Texas.

Court records show that Zambada today waived his right to appear in person in court and ordered that a plea of ​​not guilty be entered on his behalf.

He was being held without bail and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Berton next Wednesday, the documents show. His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Both Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, face multiple charges in the US for smuggling large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs onto American streets.

Their arrests were a huge achievement for U.S. law enforcement and could also shake up Mexico’s drug landscape.

The Mexican government was notified of the arrests by the US government, but Mexican authorities did not participate in the operation, Mexican Security Minister Rosa Rodriguez said today.

Rodriguez added that it is unclear whether Zambada and Guzman Lopez voluntarily surrendered to U.S. authorities.

“The Mexican government did not participate in this detention or surrender,” Rodriguez said at a news conference.

Zambada, believed to be in his 70s, and Guzman Lopez, in his 30s, were arrested after landing in a private jet near El Paso.

Zambada co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with El Chapo. He was extradited to the US in 2017 and is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison.