Kidnapping of El Chapo's cartel partner hangs over U.S. indictment of Mexican governor - BERITAJA

The indictment is singular successful its detail, laying retired a web of corruption astatine the highest levels of the Mexican government.

At the center, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, is Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya, accused of allowing his state’s eponymous cartel to run pinch impunity aft its leaders guaranteed his predetermination by sending gunmen to intimidate rival candidates, bargain ballots and frighten voters astatine the polls.

Rocha Moya, who maintained he’d done thing incorrect arsenic he took time off arsenic politician this period to reside the charges, is allegedly successful convention pinch “Los Chapitos,” a cartel faction led by 4 sons of the infamous Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

While prosecutors successful the Southern District of New York described damning evidence, the indictment was arsenic notable for each that was not mentioned. One sanction successful peculiar was conspicuously absent: Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime partner of El Chapo pinch a estimation arsenic the Sinaloa cartel’s about powerful godfather.

Beyond a ledger of monthly bribe payments to apical Sinaloan officials that prosecutors said was “recovered from Mexico” during the investigation, the indictment appeared to trust connected grounds that had to person been obtained done bonzer surveillance — aliases from group intimately acquainted pinch Los Chapitos.

Many cartel leaders, emotion the power from U.S. authorities, person turned connected 1 different successful caller years — and the latest lawsuit has near questions hanging about whether further betrayals are yet to come. Two sons of El Chapo stay fugitives, though location is talk they whitethorn onslaught a woody to debar the destiny of being killed aliases captured.

Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya, left, attends an arena successful Mexico City connected April 17. Rocha Moya was charged this period by U.S. authorities pinch being corrupted by the Sinaloa cartel. He has denied the allegations.

(Luis Barron / Eyepix Group / Sipa USA via AP)

The charges against Rocha Moya and 9 different existent and erstwhile Sinaloan officials person roiled Mexican authorities and heightened scrutiny of the remaining loose ends successful the cases of Zambada and 2 Chapitos already successful U.S. custody.

Some fishy the concatenation of events that led to the caller charges began about 2 years ago, erstwhile a backstage pitchy arrived astatine a mini New Mexico airdrome carrying 3 people.

One was Zambada, a septuagenarian kingpin pinch truthful galore judges, generals and politicians successful his pouch that he was capable to debar spending a azygous nighttime successful jailhouse successful a criminal profession that stretched backmost to the 1970s. The others connected committee were the aviator and Joaquín Guzmán López, a 39-year-old boy of El Chapo and Zambada’s godson.

According to Zambada’s type of what transpired, told done a connection issued by his lawyer, he was ambushed and kidnapped by Guzmán López, who lured him to a villa connected the outskirts of Sinaloa’s capital, Culiacán, wherever he expected to mediate a conflict betwixt Rocha Moya and different Sinaloan politician.

Rocha Moya claims his sanction was utilized arsenic bait. The politician has denied immoderate knowledge of the crippled and has an alibi that he was walking to Los Angeles that day. Zambada only described seeing the different politician, who he said was gunned down astatine the scene.

Zambada said Guzmán López forced him onto the level and past delivered him to FBI and Department of Homeland Security agents waiting connected the New Mexico tarmac.

Zambada pleaded blameworthy successful August to charges he co-founded the Sinaloa cartel and trafficked thousands of tons of drugs. Appearing successful a Brooklyn national courtroom, he said his business relied connected “paying bribes to constabulary and subject commanders and to politicians truthful they would let america to run freely.”

It was agelong speculated that Guzmán López had snatched Zambada successful hopes of currying favour pinch U.S. authorities. That mentation was confirmed erstwhile he reached a plea statement successful December successful the U.S. District Court successful Chicago.

At the clip of his surrender, Guzmán López faced a raft of U.S. national charges, which could person carried a life sentence. By cooperating, he will service acold little clip — a minimum of 10 years, according to a transcript of his plea proceeding reviewed by The Times.

Joaquín Guzmán López, a 39-year-old boy of the Sinaloa cartel leader known arsenic “El Chapo,” was arrested connected July 25, 2024, successful New Mexico, on pinch his godfather, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

(Associated Press)

His plea statement said U.S. authorities “did not request, induce, sanction, o.k. aliases condone the kidnapping” of Zambada, referred to arsenic “Individual A.” The statement said Guzmán López acted “in the hopes of receiving practice credit.”

At his plea proceeding successful Chicago, he told the judge he had studied finance successful assemblage earlier joining his brothers successful the supplier trade. He said he was taking medicine for worry and depression.

“He’s only successful the business because his brothers are bullies,” said 1 rule enforcement root acquainted pinch his lawsuit not authorized to speak publicly.

One of those brothers is Ovidio Guzmán López, who has been successful U.S. custody since 2023. He pleaded blameworthy to various charges past July, erstwhile tribunal filings revealed that he excessively is cooperating pinch U.S. authorities.

Ovidio Guzmán López, a leader of the Sinaloa cartel faction known arsenic Los Chapitos, was detained connected Oct. 17, 2019, by Mexican information forces. He is now successful custody successful the United States.

(Uncredited / Associated Press)

Their half-sibling is the alleged ringleader of Los Chapitos: Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar. U.S. authorities person offered a reward of $10 million for his capture.

Guzmán Salazar, 42, is simply a cardinal fig successful the lawsuit against Rocha Moya, pinch the indictment claiming he commanded his service of “sicarios” to costs a run of panic successful bid to guarantee the governor’s 2021 election.

Two sources acquainted pinch the ongoing cases but not authorized to speak publically said Guzmán Salazar and his younger relative person been successful interaction pinch U.S. authorities about the anticipation of a negotiated surrender. One of the sources said the discussions had been underway for a year, and suspected the brothers had been waiting to spot really their half-siblings’ cases play retired earlier making their move.

The lawyer for the brothers, Jeffrey Lichtman, did not respond to questions from The Times.

If Guzmán Salazar ever faces justness successful the U.S. — wherever he is nether aggregate national indictments — it’s unclear whether he would beryllium charged pinch immoderate crimes successful relationship pinch Zambada’s kidnapping.

So far, cipher has been held to relationship for the sidesplitting of Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, a governmental rival of Rocha Moya who Zambada says was changeable to decease during his abduction. Zambada besides said 2 of his bodyguards, 1 of them a Sinaloa authorities constabulary commander, person not been “seen aliases heard from since.”

The sources who said pinch The Times said the level that carried Zambada to the U.S. belonged to Guzmán Salazar, suggesting it was he who orchestrated the plot.

The aviator was apparently released aft landing and allowed to return to Mexico. He was later arrested successful Sinaloa by Mexican information forces and softly handed complete to the Trump management past August, on pinch much than 2 twelve different suspected cartel figures.

Sources acquainted pinch the lawsuit identified him arsenic Mauro Alberto Nunez Ojeda, aka Jondo.

Court records show he pleaded blameworthy to national charges past period successful Washington, D.C., admitting that his occupation successful the cartel was to “work directly” for Guzmán Salazar, overseeing his fleet of aircraft, serving arsenic his individual aviator and ferrying shipments of narcotics and weapons.

The tribunal filings make nary mention of Zambada’s kidnapping, and Nunez Ojeda’s lawyer did not respond to a mobility about his client’s alleged domiciled successful the affair. A Department of Justice spokesperson declined to comment.

In a July 26, 2024, news conference, Mexico’s then-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador discussed the apprehension of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and a boy of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán by U.S. national agents.

(Alfredo Estrella / AFP via Getty Images)

Facing life successful situation pinch nary parole, Zambada is being held while he awaits a July 20 sentencing proceeding astatine the aforesaid national jailhouse successful Brooklyn that houses erstwhile Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Given the anticipation that he could beryllium shipped to the distant “supermax” situation successful Colorado wherever his erstwhile partner El Chapo has been held successful utmost isolation since his 2019 conviction, immoderate person speculated that Zambada could activity to thief himself by spilling secrets about Rocha Moya and others.

Zambada’s lawyer, Frank Perez, has denied immoderate specified thing.

“Reports circulating connected media outlets claiming that Mr. Zambada has entered into a practice statement pinch the United States authorities are categorically false,” Perez said successful a connection to The Times. “Mr. Zambada has not entered into immoderate practice agreement, has not pled pursuant to immoderate practice arrangement, and is not cooperating pinch the United States authorities successful immoderate capacity.”

Whether the kidnapping of Zambada was a masterstroke aliases a blunder for Los Chapitos remains to beryllium seen. The betrayal triggered a civilian warfare wrong the cartel, and the factions loyal to El Chapo’s sons person been severely weakened complete the past year, losing territory crossed Sinaloa.

The indictment of Rocha Moya appears to onslaught different blow, and acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said past week that much charges could beryllium connected pat soon against different Mexican officials.

Regardless of what happens next, 1 root acquainted pinch the Chapitos cases said the kidnapping of Zambada was “a legit gangster move, for sure.”