Francisco Pérez, the lawyer of the influential Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, stated that in the procedure that led to the capture of the “boss of bosses” in El Paso, Texas, United States, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of “El Chapo” Guzman, participated.
According to the criteria of
The lawyer stressed that the 76-year-old man was “violently kidnapped” by the son of his former partner in the Sinaloa cartel.
Zambada’s arrest, which occurred on Thursday, raised questions about how One of the most wanted criminals on the planet could be arrested at an airport American, considering that for more than forty years “El Mayo” had successfully evaded the authorities.
Initially, there was speculation that he might have turned himself in to reach a plea deal with the US justice system in search of personal gain.
However, versions soon emerged indicating that The drug lord was tricked into boarding that flight to the Santa Teresa airportNew Mexico, which would lead him to prison, and even that Joaquín Guzmán López was a key piece in the operation.
This is what Perez said, according to the Los Angeles Times: “My client did not surrender nor negotiate any conditions with the United States government,” Perez said in a statement.
#LAST MINUTE🚨| Alarms are ringing in the National Palace. It is emerging that Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was being guarded by members of the Mexican army and that he was even a beneficiary of President AMLO’s social programs, just before being betrayed. pic.twitter.com/xFHa5YCLVc
— Info CDMX News (@NotiAgencyCdmx) July 28, 2024
“Joaquín Guzmán López forcibly kidnapped my client. He was ambushed, thrown to the ground and handcuffed by six men in military uniforms and Joaquín. They tied his legs and placed a black bag over his head.”
Perez declined to comment further beyond his Sunday statement, limiting himself to mention that his client had traveled with a security device light and was ambushed after being summoned to a meeting with Guzmán López.
Recognized as a skilled strategist with the ability to corrupt officials, Zambada is famous for his ability to negotiate with anyone, including his enemies.
He is involved in several lawsuits in the United States, in places such as New York and California. In February, New York prosecutors filed a new indictment against him, describing him as the “main leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for the importation of huge quantities of narcotics to the United States.”
Removing him from the criminal scene could trigger a violent internal war for control of the cartel, similar to what happened with the capture or death of other drug lords. Experts suggest that this could also facilitate the rise of a younger, more violent generation of drug traffickers in Sinaloa.
A spokesman for the The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet responded to an email. requesting comment on Perez’s claims.
#ViceNews ‘El Mayo’ was kidnapped by ‘El Chapito’; they tied his legs and placed a bag over his head: Lawyer
Guzmán López, son of ‘El Chapo’, was arrested on Thursday near El Paso (Texas) along with Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. pic.twitter.com/LLpiqXOyxF
— Vicio Magazine (@revista_vicio) July 29, 2024
No attorney is listed in court documents for Guzman Lopez, whose father is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
According to a US law enforcement official familiar with the case, Zambada was tricked into flying to the United States.
The cartel leader boarded a plane believing he was headed somewhere else, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The official did not provide details on who persuaded Zambada to get on the plane or about the destination he thought he was going to reach.
Zambada appeared in federal court in El Paso on Friday morning, where a judge read him the charges against him and advised him of his rights.
He is being held without bail and has pleaded not guilty to several drug-related charges, according to court records. His next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.according to Perez.
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*This content was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence with information from La Nación Argentina (GDA) and was reviewed by a journalist and an editor.
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