Mexico's authorities have been criticized once more by Jeffrey Lichtman, who claims that Mexico failed to pursue "El Mayo" for a lengthy fifty years.
In a surprising turn of events, drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada was arrested in Texas in 2024, marking the end of a decade-long evasion of capture within Mexico. His arrest, however, was not the result of traditional law enforcement tactics but rather a covert operation that brought him to the U.S., bypassing typical Mexican arrest procedures.
Zambada, a powerful figure within drug trafficking in Mexico and one of the founding leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, had managed to elude capture for over five decades due to a combination of his cunning, cartel power, and internal betrayal. His deep entrenchment in the Sinaloa cartel and his role as a strategist and dealmaker allowed him to navigate criminal and political landscapes skillfully while avoiding direct confrontation with authorities.
The Sinaloa cartel’s longstanding power and reported connections within Mexican political and law enforcement circles may have provided El Mayo with protection or warnings to evade capture. His strategic low profile and cautious movements, coupled with being over 75 years old and maintaining a "shadowy" persona, further aided his evasion.
According to his letter from captivity, his arrest was not a traditional law enforcement capture but rather a set-up by his godson, Joaquín Guzmán López, son of "El Chapo" Guzmán. This internal cartel dynamics played a central role in his final arrest outside Mexico.
Jeffrey Lichtman, attorney for Ovidio Guzmán López, has criticized President Claudia Sheinbaum for demanding the extradition of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Lichtman accused Sheinbaum of acting as "El Mayo's public relations spokesperson" and suggested her statements were made for political positioning. He also questioned the Mexican authorities' sudden interest in bringing "El Mayo" to justice, stating that they had never attempted to capture him before.
Lichtman's statements suggest that the Mexican government's sudden interest in bringing Guzman López to justice may be politically motivated. Some question whether there was complicity, negligence, or incompetence on the part of the Mexican government in not arresting Guzman López for more than five decades.
The Mexican government continues to request formal information from the United States government on Guzman López's whereabouts. However, the arrest has revived a debate about his previous unarrested status in Mexico.
As the Sinaloa Cartel's influence continues to shape the drug trafficking landscape in Mexico, the circumstances surrounding El Mayo Zambada's arrest remain a subject of controversy and debate.
- The controversial arrest of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada in Texas, bypassing traditional Mexican arrest procedures, has sparked discussions about policy-and-legislation regarding international cooperation in crime-and-justice matters.
- El Mayo Zambada's arrest, a result of internal cartel dynamics rather than traditional law enforcement, has raised questions about the potential political implications in general-news, particularly concerning the Mexican government's role in combating crime-and-justice and their relationships with powerful figures like Zambada.
