Mexican prosecutors suggest a son of ‘El Chapo’ made a deal with the U.S. to get his brother out of prison

Mexican prosecutors are saying that recent developments regarding the fate of top cartel leaders are a result of a deal with U.S. authorities. Concretely, they are suggesting that Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of “El Chapo” Guzmán, turned himself in and managed to hand over Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to American authorities in exchange for getting his brother Ovidio transferred out of prison.

The country’s attorney general’s office said that U.S. authorities have also not been responding to related information requests. American officials have rejected the allegations, saying they only learned about it after the aircraft taking both cartel leaders took off and went to Texas.

While interpretations continue to be muddy, the latest developments point at Ovidio Guzmán entering the U.S. Witness Protection Program under the custody of the U.S. Marshals. A report from last week pointed to the fact that Guzmán López, known as “El Ratón (the mouse),” is no longer listed under the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) custody. His BOP record indicates that he was “released” on July 23.

Moreover, Mexican prosecutors announced their intention to press charges against Joaquín Guzmán López for the apparent kidnapping of Zambada. In this context, authorities said “an arrest warrant has been prepared” for Guzmán, who is under the custody of U.S. authorities since late July.

“The link between the (custody) status of Ovidio ‘G,’ the participation of his brother Joaquín in the presumed kidnapping of Ismael (Zambada)… are the main areas of focus of the investigation,” Mexican prosecutors said, hinting at the link between the developments.

They added that so far they have made five requests to U.S. authorities for information on the flight that took the two drug lords to Texas but have yet to receive a response. Prosecutors will also seek to interview prosecutors, police and forensic examiners from Sinaloa about the events.

Ovidio Guzmán López, son of the notorious drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, is a significant player within the Sinaloa Cartel. His faction, known as ‘Los Chapitos,’ has been involved in a power struggle with other groups vying for cartel control.

For someone like Ovidio Guzmán, who possesses significant insider knowledge about the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel, entering the witness protection program could mean a substantial shift in the prosecution’s approach towards dismantling the cartel’s remaining power structures.

The use of witness protection also raises questions about the level of cooperation Guzmán may be providing to U.S. authorities. It is not uncommon for high-profile cartel members to offer valuable intelligence in exchange for reduced sentences or protection from retaliation. The possibility that his brother ambushed “El Mayo” to secure favorable conditions could add to the tensoins.

Also, the DEA source’s information points to a highly sensitive legal and political situation involving both U.S. and Mexican authorities. The FGR’s demand for clarity on Guzmán’s status underscores the ongoing tension between the two countries in handling high-profile cartel cases.

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