In an important change, Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of the famous drug lord "El Chapo" Guzmán, has decided to plead guilty to drug trafficking charges in the United States. He had originally said he was not guilty. This news was shared in legal documents for a court in Chicago. At the same time, US lawyers have said they will no longer seek the death penalty for him. His brother, Ovidio Guzmán, did something very similar recently. This suggests the brothers are making a plan with American authorities.
Guzmán López was arrested in the summer of 2024 when his private plane landed in Texas. He was with Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, another leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Zambada later said he was forced to get on the plane and did not know it was going to the US. This arrest caused a major conflict inside the cartel. Groups loyal to the Guzmán family began fighting groups loyal to Zambada. This violence across Mexico led to the deaths of about 1,200 people, with another 1,400 reported missing.
When a person pleads guilty in a deal like this, they usually agree to give information to the police. In return, they often get a shorter prison sentence. While we do not know the exact details of his deal, it is a significant win for US justice officials. The Sinaloa Cartel is a major supplier of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs to the US, causing a serious public health crisis. Getting guilty pleas from top leaders like the Guzmán brothers helps investigators learn more about how the cartel works. This information is very important for future arrests and for weakening one of the world's most powerful criminal groups.