A group of family members of Sinaloa Cartel leaders crossed into the United States last week, likely as part of a deal with the Trump administration, according to Mexico’s secretary of security.
Reports indicated that 17 relatives, including an ex-wife of the notorious crime boss known as El Chapo, had flown from a cartel stronghold to Tijuana, Mexico, before entering the United States. A news outlet reported that they surrendered to U.S. federal authorities, citing anonymous sources.
The Sinaloa Cartel, co-founded by JoaquÃn Guzmán Loera, known as El Chapo, is recognized as one of the most powerful criminal organizations globally, though it has been plagued by violence among rival factions as several leaders face prosecution in the United States.
When questioned about the family members' entry into the U.S., President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico stated that she had no additional information beyond what was publicly available.
However, security secretary Omar GarcÃa Harfuch confirmed that relatives of Ovidio Guzmán López, one of El Chapo’s sons, had surrendered to American authorities. Ovidio Guzmán López was extradited to the United States in 2023.
GarcÃa Harfuch suggested that the family’s move to the U.S. was likely part of a negotiation or plea bargain with the Department of Justice. He noted that the family members were not targets of Mexican authorities and expressed anticipation for information from the U.S. Department of Justice.
He indicated that Ovidio Guzmán López might be cooperating with authorities by naming members of criminal organizations.
Jeffrey Lichtman, a lawyer representing the Guzmán family, did not respond to requests for comment.
Sheinbaum emphasized the need for U.S. officials to inform their Mexican counterparts about any agreements, highlighting the importance of transparency, especially given the loss of Mexican soldiers during the operation to capture Ovidio Guzmán López.
Ovidio Guzmán López is expected to plead guilty to federal drug charges, which would make him the first of El Chapo’s sons to acknowledge guilt in a U.S. federal court.
He has been captured twice by Mexican authorities in the past decade, with his most recent arrest occurring in 2023, leading to his extradition to the U.S. He, along with his brothers and a former business associate of his father, is named in a significant indictment.
Since El Chapo's life sentence in 2019, U.S. authorities have focused on his sons, indicating they could turn themselves in if they wished to escape the dangers of the drug trafficking lifestyle.
In a notable incident, JoaquÃn Guzmán López allegedly kidnapped his father’s former business partner and forcibly brought him into U.S. custody.
GarcÃa Harfuch emphasized the role of Mexican authorities in Ovidio Guzmán López’s case, asserting that his detention was entirely executed by them.
This confirmation coincided with the U.S. Department of Justice announcing new charges against individuals accused of being Sinaloa Cartel leaders, marking the first such charges since the cartel was designated a terrorist organization by President Trump. The charges include narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
During a news conference, U.S. attorney Adam Gordon addressed cartel leaders directly, warning them of betrayal by friends and pursuit by enemies.
The relocation of the family members to the U.S. has sparked speculation regarding potential plea agreements and the implications for imprisoned cartel leaders, with some lawmakers suggesting that the Guzmán family may provide significant information in exchange for leniency.