The Mexican government is reviewing a petition from Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime leader of the Sinaloa cartel currently jailed in the United States, to be returned to Mexico for trial. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico’s consulate in New York has received the request.
President Sheinbaum noted that Mexico’s attorney general is investigating the circumstances surrounding Zambada’s arrest in the U.S. with another Sinaloa cartel leader near El Paso, Texas, last July. Zambada is awaiting trial.
“No one is defending this person,” Sheinbaum stated. “Beyond the person and his crimes, the issue is how he was detained.”
Zambada claims he was kidnapped by Joaquín Guzmán López, son of former cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, and flown to the U.S. The Mexican government subsequently announced an investigation into possible treason by those involved in handing over a Mexican citizen to foreign agents. Guzmán López was also arrested upon arrival in Texas.
In his request, Zambada argued that the legality of his entry into the U.S. has not been verified and asked to be tried in Mexico instead, according to a report in Reforma newspaper. He also requested the Mexican government ensure that the death penalty is not considered in his case.
In January, U.S. prosecutors revealed they were discussing a possible plea deal with Zambada.
Zambada is one of the most notorious drug traffickers globally and has been a leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel for decades alongside “El Chapo.” He is known for overseeing the cartel’s smuggling operations while maintaining a low profile.
While Mexico could request that the death penalty be excluded in Zambada’s case, as it does not have the death penalty, the U.S. typically repatriates convicted criminals only after they serve their sentences. An exception occurred in November 2020 during President Donald Trump’s administration when charges against Mexico’s former Defense Secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos were dropped after Mexico protested his arrest in Los Angeles. The U.S. returned Cienfuegos to Mexico, where he was quickly exonerated.
Source: AP News
