The Mexican authorities accuse the son of drug kingpin El Chapo of abducting cartel leader 'El Mayo' and delivering him to American authorities.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Mexican Attorney General's office revealed they are filing charges against Joaquín Guzmán Loépez, currently in US custody in Chicago.
An arrest warrant is being prepared, alleging kidnapping and unlawful detention of an individual within the national territory for extradition purposes, as mentioned in the Attorney General's statement.
The office also disclosed that investigators have seized the suspected vehicles and properties involved in the incident. While they did not provide further details, they also declared the location of the airfield from which the flight departed has been identified.
The announcement was made about a month after Guzmán Loépez, one of El Chapo's sons and known as the "Chapitos," flew in a private plane to a small airfield near El Paso, Texas, along with the infamous 76-year-old drug kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Both were apprehended by US law enforcement on charges related to operating one of the world's most formidable drug trafficking syndicates.
The cartel is believed to be responsible for trafficking immense quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the US. Anne Milgram, DEA Administrator, stated that the arrests marked "a significant blow to the cartel responsible for the majority of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, causing fatalities across the US."
The arrest aroused questions about the reasons behind the flight and the events leading up to it. Mexican authorities suggested that Guzmán Loépez made a deal with his imprisoned brother Ovidio before the flight. However, an attorney for Ovidio denied these claims, calling them a "total fabrication." Ovidio Guzmán Loépez was extradited to the US in 2023 and is awaiting trial on drug and money laundering charges.
In a letter penned from his jail cell earlier this month, Zambada claimed he was ambushed and forcibly detained by Guzmán Loépez at a ranch outside Culiacan, Sinaloa, on the day of his arrest.
"I did not surrender willingly and was not voluntarily taken to the US," he stated. "Instead, I was abducted and forcibly transported against my will."
Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzmán Loépez's defense attorney, told CNN that the Mexican government should be ashamed for bringing forward these charges against his client.
"The corrupt Mexican government has focused more on prosecuting the alleged kidnapping of Mayo Zambada, the world's biggest drug dealer, in the last three weeks than in actively locating and prosecuting Zambada for the past 40 years," Lichtman said.
"I'm confident that the numerous thousands of Americans who lost their lives due to Zambada's fentanyl will breathe easier knowing that the person accused of bringing him to justice in the US has instead been charged with kidnapping and treason in Mexico," he added.
The uncertainty surrounds how the Mexican government will proceed with prosecuting its kidnapping case against Guzmán Loépez, given the extensive and ongoing investigation led by the US Department of Justice targeting the Sinaloa Cartel's global operations.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel Loépez Obrador has repeatedly voiced his frustration with the US government's involvement in the case and demanded more information on the arrests of both Guzmán Loépez and Zambada. Both remain in US custody after pleading not guilty to drug trafficking charges.
Despite being in US custody in Chicago, the Mexican Attorney General's office is pursuing charges against Joaquín Guzmán Loépez, implying a potential collaboration between authorities from both countries.
In discussing the case, Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzmán Loépez's defense attorney, highlighted the Mexican government's focus on prosecuting his client for alleged kidnapping, rather than pursuing their long-standing case against the drug kingpin.
