Alejandro Gertz Manero, Attorney General of the Republic, informed in the morning conference that the Government of Mexico requested the repatriation of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada to the authorities of the United States under the administration of Joe Biden. Since Zambada was handed over to U.S. authorities in July 2024, the Government and the Attorney General's Office of the Republic initiated a procedure investigating the possible kidnapping of the drug trafficker and his illegal transfer to the United States.
Gertz Manero emphasized that Zambada has three pending arrest warrants in Mexico and it is the Government's obligation to initiate the extradition process, awaiting a corresponding response from U.S. authorities. It was noted that the U.S. State Department has already been notified of this request in December 2024.
The prosecutor mentioned that to date, the issue of 'El Mayo' Zambada's repatriation has not been discussed with the administration of Donald Trump and that a response to the repatriation request has been sought four times from the Biden administration without success.
Zambada's legal team sent a letter to the Mexican government last week in which the drug trafficker warned that the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States would be affected if he is not repatriated. Zambada's defense argued that his extradition to the U.S. violated various human rights treaties signed by Mexico, such as the American Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Juan Manuel Delgado, Zambada's lawyer, clarified that his client is not negotiating any agreement to obtain his freedom in the United States. Legal advisor Frank Pérez mentioned that Zambada will not collaborate with the U.S. government and that the possibility of a plea deal is being considered in case the death penalty is not sought by the authorities of that country.
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada was arrested by U.S. authorities at El Paso International Airport, Texas, on July 25, alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán.
