'El Mayo' and El Chapo's son: Who are the arrested drug lords?
Who Are The US-held Drug Lords: 'El Mayo' Zambada And El Chapo's Son?
There are not many pictures of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada (on the left) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez.
BBC World correspondent based in Mexico
The lyrics of a song by Los Tucanes de Tijuana talk about how people search all over for him, but the man is not even trying to hide. This song is dedicated to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.
The well-known 76-year-old criminal, who is involved in selling illegal drugs, was captured by US officials. He is a leader of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico and was taken to court where he denied all accusations against him.
Another person currently being held by authorities is Joaquín Guzmán López, the 38-year-old son of the cartel's co-founder, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, who is currently serving a life sentence in the United States since 2019.
According to reports from Mexican and American officials, the Wall Street Journal says that Zambada was deceived into getting on the plane by a senior member of the Sinaloa cartel after a long operation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.
This is a significant hit for two of the most sought-after drug dealers globally, who are facing charges of blackmail, bribery, drug smuggling, and illegal money transactions.
El Mayo, also called "The Man with the Hat", has gained respect and fame in the industry for more than 50 years.
The song by Los Tucanes has reached 10 million views on YouTube. The lyrics mention that the law is trying to catch him, enemies want to harm him, but so far no one has been able to stop him - it seems like he is invincible.
Trafficker Turned Leader
Image credit, Sourced from CBS
Very little information is available about Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. The photo was captured on Thursday and was obtained by the BBC's US associate CBS.
Zambada's journey from a small-time trafficker to the top boss of the drug cartel, known as the "boss of bosses," is a tale of practicality, craftiness, and dishonesty.
Following a brief period working as a furniture delivery person in the bustling streets of Culiacán, a city located in the northwest region of Mexico, Zambada launched his criminal career as a drug smuggler in the 1970s.
In the beginning, he was employed by the Guadalajara cartel, a trailblazer in the field, that dealt in opium, marijuana, and later on, cocaine.
After that, he served in the Juárez cartel, starting out as a mid-level employee and eventually rising to a position of power. He developed a strong relationship with Amado Carrillo, also known as the "Lord of the Skies".
After that, it is thought that he established a group of connections in Colombia, the nation where he ultimately developed strong friendships and partnerships with cocaine producers.
As other leaders passed away or were defeated, Zambada's influence grew stronger. He had no qualms about turning against a friend when necessary.
However, what makes him stand out from other drug kingpins is his preference for staying out of the spotlight. There are hardly any photographs of him available.
There are rumors going around about him having plastic surgeries to alter his looks. He stands at a height of 1.8 meters. He is described as tall and muscular. He reportedly has several wives and children, but not much else is known about him.
One of El Mayo's children, Vicente Zambada Niebla, was arrested by Mexican officials in 2009. His journal from prison was eventually made public.
Within the blog post, Zambada's son stated to US officials that his father allocated $1 million each month for bribes. He also mentioned that his network of corruption involved banks and governments.
According to reports, El Mayo has also been identified as one of the drug traffickers who places a high importance on building a strong relationship with his local community.
He has supported El Álamo, his hometown, and other towns in the region of Sinaloa by funding their projects and events.
Successor To El Chapo
Picture credits, obtained from Getty Images
In 2019, El Chapo, another top leader of the Sinaloa cartel, was given a life sentence in the United States.
There is limited information available about Joaquín Guzmán López, who was arrested alongside Zambada on Thursday.
El Güero, a 38-year-old man, is the child of El Chapo and Griselda López Pérez, the second spouse of the drug dealer.
El Chapo fathered 10 kids with three different women: Alejandrina Salazar, Griselda López, and Emma Coronel.
Joaquín is part of Los Chapitos, a group formed by the children of El Chapo, which includes his brother Ovidio. Ovidio was sent to the United States after being detained in Mexico in January 2023.
There are some who think that Joaquín's position in the criminal group is not as important as Ovidio's. But according to the US State Department, Joaquín had important leadership roles in both the Los Chapitos group and the Sinaloa cartel.
According to US officials, following the death of Chapo's eldest son Edgar, Joaquín and Ovidio received a significant portion of the earnings from drug sales and started using large sums of money to buy marijuana in Mexico and cocaine in Colombia.
As per a previous colleague of El Chapo, Joaquín and Ovidio allegedly played a part in aiding the notorious drug lord in his breakout from a high-security prison in Mexico in 2015. This was his second successful escape, following earlier charges of murder and drug trafficking back in 1993.
According to US officials, Joaquín and Ovidio Guzmán López are believed to be in charge of operating at least 11 drug labs that make methamphetamine in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico.
Joaquín was accused of federal drug trafficking charges for the first time in 2018 in the United States.
