On June 25, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of two high-ranking leaders from Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel – co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. “Both men face multiple charges in the United States for leading the cartel’s criminal operations,” stated U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a press release.

Zambada, 76, and Guzman, 38, are the latest leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel to be apprehended by U.S. authorities. El Chapo and another of his sons, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, along with Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” are already in U.S. custody for drug trafficking.

U.S. President Joe Biden praised law enforcement for their ongoing efforts to bring Sinaloa Cartel leaders to justice. However, the circumstances surrounding Zambada and Guzman’s arrest in El Paso, Texas remain unclear. The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico acknowledged that Zambada was brought to the U.S. against his will, while Zambada’s lawyer claims that his client was kidnapped by Guzman in Mexico. Guzman’s lawyer, on the other hand, contends that this was a voluntary surrender.

It is believed that Guzman lured Zambada onto a plane under the pretense of inspecting property, but the plane ultimately headed towards the U.S. border, where both were apprehended by law enforcement.

El Chapo, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was extradited to the U.S. in January 2017 to face charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and engagement in a continuing criminal enterprise. In 2019, El Chapo was sentenced to life in prison in a high-security facility in Colorado.

Details surrounding the recent arrests remain murky, as Zambada and Guzman have provided conflicting accounts of what transpired. “I was assaulted,” Zambada stated in a declaration from his attorney. Zambada’s lawyer claimed that Guzman and six men in military uniforms “kidnapped” his client in Culiacan, Sinaloa’s capital, and subsequently transported him against his will to the U.S. Guzman’s lawyer refutes this allegation, asserting it was a voluntary surrender after lengthy negotiations with U.S. law enforcement.

Zambada began his criminal career in the 1980s, initially working with the Juarez Cartel and Amado Carrillo Fuentes before joining forces with El Chapo to lead the Sinaloa Cartel. He is known for maintaining a low profile and focusing on the business aspects of drug trafficking rather than resorting to violence. He was indicted in the U.S. in 2003, with a reward of $15 million offered for his capture.

Guzman, known as “El Guero Moreno,” is the son of El Chapo and leads a faction within the cartel known as “Los Chapitos.” This group has been involved in drug trafficking operations, including the distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs in the U.S. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Department of Justice will not rest until every cartel leader and member responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable,” Garland stated.

Following their arrests, both detainees have pleaded not guilty to multiple drug trafficking charges in the U.S. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, confirmed that Zambada was brought to the U.S. against his will, stating, “The evidence we have seen indicates that they brought El Mayo Zambada against his will.”

The Mexican government has requested the U.S. to disclose the circumstances behind the arrests, and the lack of cooperation from the U.S. government in clarifying the details has been a source of frustration for outgoing Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has called for transparency from the U.S. Claudia Sheinbaum, the new president who will take office on October 1, has not publicly commented on the recent arrests.

Garland described the operation that led to the arrests as a result of betrayal within the cartel. The surprising nature of the arrests has raised speculation about how much the U.S. is involved in cartel affairs, increasing the Mexican administration’s mistrust of U.S. security policies.

Mexico has long cooperated with the U.S. in the so-called war on drugs. However, this cooperation has been tested since Lopez Obrador took office in 2018. The arrests have raised concerns among Mexican authorities about a potential escalation of violence among drug trafficking groups.

Rivalries within the Sinaloa Cartel, particularly between Zambada’s faction and Guzman’s faction, could lead to a power struggle that may provoke violent clashes. This may provide opportunities for other cartels to exploit the rivalry within the Sinaloa Cartel, with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel possibly trying to expand its territory and influence.

For the U.S., however, this marks a significant success in the fight against drugs. “Too many of our citizens have lost their lives to the deadly grip of fentanyl,” stated President Biden. “Too many families have been torn apart and are suffering due to this destructive substance. My administration will continue to do everything we can to hold the deadly drug traffickers accountable and save American lives.”