Mexico: Drug lord “El Mayo” flown to US against his will

Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who was arrested in the US in late July, was flown into the country against his will, US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said at a press conference, as reported by the newspaper “El Universal” and other media. However, Joaquín Guzmán López – a son of drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, who is imprisoned in the US – who was on the same plane, had turned himself in to authorities there, Salazar said.

It was a drug cartels operation, Salazar continued, without further explanation. The US government had nothing to do with it. On the contrary, they were surprised by the operation. “What we knew was that Joaquín Guzmán would arrive and surrender, he surrendered and with him came the passenger (Zambada),” Salazar was quoted as saying.

After the arrest of the two, US media, contacting security officials, reported that Zambada had been misled and set up.

Zambada was one of the most influential drug lords in the Sinaloa drug cartel and was wanted in the US for conspiracy to manufacture cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl, murder and money laundering. The deadly drug fentanyl has caused a devastating public health crisis in the US.

The 76-year-old “El Mayo” is a former associate of “El Chapo” who is serving a life sentence in the US. Four of his sons – including Guzmán López, who has now been arrested – served as leaders of another faction of the Sinaloa cartel.

In addition to numerous smaller gangs, Mexico has two major drug cartels, originating from the states of Sinaloa and Jalisco. They wage violent conflicts over control of drug trafficking and the smuggling of migrants seeking to enter the United States.

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