U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar has made some startling claims about the arrest of notorious drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. According to Salazar, Zambada was forcibly flown to Texas on a private plane against his will.
The diplomat clarified that the operation was not authorized or conducted by U.S. authorities and that it was Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the jailed former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, who allegedly facilitated Zambada’s transfer. Salazar hinted at a possible deal between the two cartel figures.
The joint arrest of Zambada and Guzmán López on July 25 sparked intense speculation. While Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had suggested the possibility of a covert U.S. operation, Salazar has categorically denied any U.S. involvement.
Both Zambada and Guzmán López are charged with drug trafficking in the United States and have pleaded not guilty.
The circumstances of Zambada’s arrest continue to be the subject of close scrutiny and public interest.