Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

El Chapo's son did not kidnap Mexican drug lord, lawyer says

Mexico drug cartel figures Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, left, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are shown in this composite image released in July 2024.  (U.S. Department of State via AP) Mexico drug cartel figures Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, left, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are shown in this composite image released in July 2024. (U.S. Department of State via AP)
Share
MEXICO CITY -

The son of jailed Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman did not kidnap drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the Guzman family's lawyer said on Wednesday, following reports Guzman's son had betrayed Zambada to the United States.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez -- El Chapo's son -- and Zambada, one of the most consequential traffickers in Mexican history, were arrested last week by U.S. agents after the plane in which they were travelling landed at a small airfield in New Mexico.

After the arrests, carried out without the knowledge of the Mexican government, speculation abounded as to whether the two had surrendered or Guzman Lopez had lured Zambada into a trap.

"A kidnapping is out of the question," the Guzman family lawyer, Jose Luis Gonzalez, told Radio Formula.

"No, no. Los Chapitos abide by their father's rules and they followed the usual policy," he said, when asked whether Guzman Lopez may have betrayed the 76-year-old Zambada, who co-founded the legendary Sinaloa Cartel alongside his father.

El Chapo's four sons, known as "Los Chapitos," inherited their father's faction of the cartel.

Reuters reached out to Gonzalez but was unable to get an immediate comment.

His account contradicts Zambada's lawyer, Frank Perez, who said on Saturday that Guzman Lopez "kidnapped" his client.

Perez said Guzman Lopez and six men in military uniforms ambushed Zambada near the Sinaloa state capital of Culiacan and forced him onto a plane to the United States against his will.

Both Guzman Lopez and Zambada have pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in U.S. courts.

The Guzman family lawyer said the men's surrender was voluntary and followed about four years of negotiations with U.S. authorities.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Adriana Barrera and Sarah Morland; Editing by Tom Hogue)

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.