How the arrest of the Sinaloa cartel leader is linked to the US elections

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was arrested along with one of “El Chapo” Guzmán’s sons. Experts say his capture could trigger multiple effects.

It happened in El Paso, Texas, UNITED STATES last Thursday, July 25th.

There, the security guards They arrested Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López arrived on a small plane from Mexico.

As confirmed by police sources New York Times , Guzmán had begun negotiations with the US authorities to bring down the 76-year-old boss. telling him that they were going to the north of the country to see some land.

However, They were actually heading to the United States. .

The aim, they said, was to help their brother Ovidio who was extradited to the United States in September 2023 and is behind bars awaiting trial.

Him and Joaquin They are the children of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, better known as “El Chapo.” .

On another side, “El Mayo” and the latter appear as two of the founders of the Sinaloa Cartel one of the most dangerous groups in drug trafficking and organized crime.

However, unlike “El Chapo”, Zambada was never in prison and managed to delay his capture for decades.

For US security forces, The success of the operation is considered a step forward in the fight against this organization. which has extended its illicit activities to different parts of the world.

Especially, through drug trafficking as fentanyl and cocaine .

“The Ministry of Justice will not rest until every leader, member and associate of the cartel responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable. ” Attorney General Merrick Garland said after the arrest.

Zambada is described as a discreet criminal, far from public appearances and with a pragmatic lifestyle in his Sinaloa compound known as the Alamo.

Likewise, he is known for establishing relations between the cartel and the political sphere .

It should be recalled that among the crimes attributed to him and Guzmán are: charges of extortion, corruption, drug trafficking and money laundering among others.

For this reason, some specialists in the field suggest that His recent arrest could influence the US presidential election which will be held in November 2024.

Falko Ernst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, asked the BBC What It remains unclear what he will reveal about his connections to governments. .

“If someone like ‘El Mayo’ were to open up completely and release all the information, it could be something very destabilizing for bilateral relations (with Mexico)” he anticipated.

How the arrest of the leader of the Sinaloa cartel is linked to the elections in the United States. Photo: Ismael Zambada García.

How ‘Mayo’ Zambada’s Arrest Could Influence US Elections

When Attorney General Garland reported on the kingpin’s arrest, he noted that “Fentanyl is the deadliest threat our country has ever faced.” .

Currently, this drug is the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45 according to the aforementioned media.

And in recent years, it has positioned itself as a relevant source of income for some factions of the Sinaloa Cartel .

Ernst said that the trafficking of this substance from Mexico and the impact of this illicit activity contributed to its becoming “a major political issue in the United States” .

“We cannot explain this arrest without this pressure in the context of fentanyl” he assured.

Although Zambada’s capture is not expected to stop the Sinaloa Cartel’s movements, as its structure is broad and has more leaders and factions, the analyst said that “For the DEA or the FBI, it might be a medal” to have arrested “Mayo” .

This is because of “They can say they have a great chance This has greatly fueled the popular imagination and it is a bit of a representative of evil in this context,” he added.

In this direction, He also discussed the presidential elections in the United States. in which the Democratic Party will seek to remain in the White House with a candidacy that faces that of former President Donald Trump, who is the standard-bearer of the Republican Party.

Electorally, this suits Biden, Harris and the Democrats because they can show that they are effective. and do something to address the fentanyl problem on American soil,” Ernst said.

But there is still The question of whether Zambada will choose to reveal data or remain silent during his testimony .

“It would be a dream to know what ‘El Mayo’ says about the last decades of relations between the government and drug traffickers in Mexico and the United States, because it would have a thousand stories to tell with very good information. But it is also a political question. “.

According to Ernst’s analysis, “there are two scenarios in which The United States could use some of the information it might obtain to pressure certain Mexican officials and take necessary steps in bilateral relations. which is very complicated beyond security, in terms of legal markets, energy, migration, etc.”

“So, this is more in line with a logic of bilateral negotiation. At the same time, if someone like “El Mayo” were to open up completely and disclose all the information, it would potentially be very destabilizing. for bilateral relations,” the expert insisted.

Of course, he stressed that “This is not the case at the moment, at least in the interests of the American authorities. starting with the State Department.

To address the possible escalation of violence that Zambada’s capture could trigger, Mexican authorities have sent additional agents to the state of Sinaloa .

Source: Latercera

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