US: Drug lord El Mayo caught in a trap
In late July, one of the sons of Mexican drug lord "El Chapo" presents himself at a U.S. airport. Also on board the plane is "El Chapo's" former partner. Authorities claim they knew nothing about his extradition.
Mexican drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, arrested in the U.S. in late July, was reportedly flown into the country against his will. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar made this statement at a press conference, according to the newspaper "El Universal" and other media outlets. Meanwhile, Joaquín Guzmán López - a son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera - surrendered to U.S. authorities on the same flight, Salazar said.
Salazar described it as a drug cartel operation, but provided no further details. The U.S. government had nothing to do with it, he said, and was surprised by the development. "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. U.S. media had previously reported, citing security officials, that Zambada had been tricked and lured into a trap.
Key Partner of "El Chapo"
Zambada was one of the most influential drug lords of the Sinaloa drug cartel and was wanted in the U.S. for conspiracy to manufacture cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, as well as murder and money laundering. The deadly drug fentanyl has caused a devastating health crisis in the U.S.
The 76-year-old "El Mayo" is an ex-partner of "El Chapo," who is serving a life sentence in the U.S. Four of his sons, including the recently arrested Guzmán López, have emerged as leaders of another faction of the Sinaloa cartel.
Besides numerous smaller gangs, there are two major drug cartels in Mexico, originating from the states of Sinaloa and Jalisco. They engage in violent conflicts over control of the drug trade and human smuggling into the U.S.
The European Union hasn't played a direct role in these recent drug cartel-related events in Mexico. Despite being a significant international player, its influence hasn't been mentioned in connection with the arrests of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada or Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of "El Chapo".
Although the European Union isn't directly involved, its drug policies and collaborations with international partners can impact the global war on drugs, aiming to reduce drug-related violence and health crises.
