The sons of infamous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Ovidio and Joaquin Lopez, are reportedly in discussions to strike a plea deal with US prosecutors. The two brothers are accused of aiding in the operation of the Sinaloa cartel, the criminal organization once led by their father, and smuggling large quantities of drugs into the United States. They, along with two other siblings still in Mexico, comprise the “El Chapitos” faction of the cartel and have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. Their father, El Chapo, is currently serving a life sentence in a US supermax prison for his involvement in a massive drug conspiracy.
The plea talks come in the wake of the arrest of one of the brothers at a Texas airport in July, alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a rival cartel leader. Zambada, a co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, has been described by prosecutors as one of the most notorious drug traffickers in the world, evading capture for many years. He is facing multiple charges, including drug trafficking and murder, in a New York court after being forcibly brought to the US from Mexico. Mexican authorities have also levelled kidnapping accusations against Joaquin Lopez, alleging that he facilitated Zambada’s transport to the US in an attempt to secure favourable treatment for his imprisoned brother, Ovidio.
Legal experts believe that the cooperation of the Guzman brothers could be crucial in the case against Zambada, as well as potential corruption investigations involving Mexican officials. Jesus Esquivel, a Washington-based correspondent for Proceso magazine, noted that any cooperation agreement with a drug trafficker typically involves sharing information about the involvement of Mexican government officials in drug transportation. One such high-profile case was that of former Mexican official Genaro Garcia Luna, who was recently sentenced to 38 years in prison by a US court. The Guzman brothers’ lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, emphasized that their cases are separate and that negotiations with US authorities are still in the early stages.
The situation has sparked a violent conflict between the rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel, resulting in daily shootouts and kidnappings in Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state. State prosecutor Claudia Sanchez reported at least 72 deaths and 209 kidnappings in the ongoing war between the two cartels. Even local media outlets, such as the newspaper El Debate, have been targeted in the violence, with the publication being sprayed with gunfire on one occasion. The Sinaloa cartel has a long history of violence against perceived enemies, including law enforcement and journalists critical of their operations.
US officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, have highlighted the brutality of the Sinaloa cartel, detailing cases of torture, including using victims as test subjects for drugs like fentanyl and feeding others to tigers. The recent arrests and legal battles involving the Guzman brothers, Zambada, and other cartel figures shed light on the ongoing drug war in Mexico and its impact on the United States. As the plea negotiations progress, there is hope for a resolution in the cases against the accused individuals, potentially bringing some closure to the long-standing conflict in the region.
