Following the recent arrests of alleged Mexican drug lords Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia and Joaquín Guzmán López, Mexico’s president issued an appeal on Monday to drug cartels not to engage in internal conflicts.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his trust during a daily press briefing that drug cartels understood that escalating internal wars would only exacerbate the suffering within the Sinaloa cartel.
Mr. López Obrador emphasized, “Those involved in these illegal activities know that confrontations resolve nothing. They only put the lives of innocent people at risk and cause unnecessary suffering to families.”
He further added, “I have faith that there will be no conflicts.” Over the weekend, the Mexican army deployed an additional 200 elite soldiers from a paratrooper unit to the state of Sinaloa.
Despite the tensions within the Sinaloa cartel, there were no immediate reports of increased violence over the weekend.
Notably, the Sinaloa cartel has been plagued by internal strife for years, with followers of Mr. Zambada Garcia clashing with rivals who support the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman, the father of Mr. Guzmán López.
On a related note, another of El Chapo’s sons, Ovidio Guzmán López, was extradited to the United States in September 2023. Meanwhile, Mr. Zambada Garcia and Mr. Guzmán Lopez, who have held prominent positions within the Sinaloa cartel, were apprehended on July 25 upon their arrival in Texas.
The Mexican president has a history of urging drug gangs to pursue peace and has even commended them on occasion. In 2021, Mr. López Obrador lauded the cartel for their restraint during the elections that year.
The recent arrests of Mr. Zambada Garcia and Mr. Guzmán López were a significant blow to Mexican officials, who were caught off guard by the operation. Mr. Zambada Garcia, who had evaded capture for decades, was finally apprehended when a plane carrying him and Mr. Guzmán López landed in New Mexico.
Both men are now facing various drug charges in the United States. Mr. López Obrador hinted at potential negotiations between U.S. authorities and Mr. Guzmán López leading up to his surrender.
While there are ongoing investigations into the circumstances of Mr. Zambada Garcia’s presence on the flight, his lawyer has denied any voluntary involvement in his client’s transfer to the U.S.
Mr. Zambada Garcia is facing charges in multiple U.S. states, including New York and California, where he is accused of leading a criminal enterprise responsible for importing large quantities of narcotics into the country.
The indictment against him also alleges the use of hitmen to carry out violent acts against rivals. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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