Mexico Questions US Role in Arrest of Drug Lord Zambada

Mexico City (ANTARA) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday once again questioned the role of the United States in the 2024 arrest of drug lord Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. Zambada, a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was flown out of Mexico and sentenced to life in prison in New York on Monday. The US government has stated it did not participate in the operation to capture Zambada on Mexican territory. ‘Why did they display the aircraft, at an exhibition, as if it were part of their operation, while the official version states they did not participate? This is a contradiction,’ Sheinbaum said during a daily press conference, referring to the plane used to transport Zambada to the US in July. She stated that Washington has not provided sufficient information to clarify the arrest, which triggered a wave of violence in the state of Sinaloa. Sheinbaum noted that Mexico is cooperating with the US to stop the flow of drugs entering US territory, while simultaneously asking Washington to prevent the flow of weapons into Mexico. Zambada claims he was kidnapped by Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, and taken to the US against his will, a version that differs from statements made by US authorities. Sheinbaum also stated that she has asked the Mexican Attorney General’s Office to examine whether Mexico can claim a portion of Zambada’s assets that the US is seeking to seize. A constitutional reform aimed at strengthening Mexico’s sovereignty and protecting the country from foreign interference came into effect in 2025, after being proposed by Sheinbaum in February of the same year.