According to journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, a photograph of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada with then-president Enrique Peña Nieto may have saved the Mexican drug trafficker from being captured by the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena).
Several elements of the Mexican Army approached a residence in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, under the assumption that the sought-after target, 'Mayo' Zambada, was hiding there. During the operation, the drug trafficker hid on the roof due to the interruption by the soldiers.
These events were detailed by Loret de Mola in his most recent column in El Universal, titled "The Day They Almost Caught Mayo." The column reveals events that occurred during Peña Nieto's presidency, where Zambada's companions, including his financial operator and his godson, received the Army personnel while the drug lord remained hidden on the roof.
In the midst of the situation, the drug trafficker's godson showed a photograph in which he and Zambada appeared with President Peña Nieto, arguing that they were politicians. This act led the soldiers to leave the area and stop searching for 'Mayo'.
Recently, Zambada has hinted at the possibility of accepting his guilt to avoid the death penalty in the judicial process in the United States. Additionally, controversy has arisen regarding his lawyers, Juan Pablo Penilla and Sergio Ramírez, who have been criticized for their participation in political events and their closeness to members of Morena.
