In recent weeks, the possibility has been raised that Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán's sons, known as 'Los Chapitos', may be willing to collaborate with U.S. authorities. This arises after the surrender of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada and the postponement of the hearing against Ovidio Guzmán, alias 'El Ratón', until the end of March. The comments from 'Mayo' Zambada's lawyer come amid preparations for a trial where U.S. prosecutors, with the help of protected witnesses, could lead Zambada to face a life sentence or even the death penalty.
Over the years, several individuals involved in drug trafficking have chosen to cooperate with U.S. authorities to become protected witnesses, thus avoiding severe sentences or seeking freedom. This is the case of Vicente Zambada Niebla, known as 'El Vicentillo', who was one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. In 2013, Zambada agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities, confessing his ties to drug trafficking. He avoided a trial but in 2019 was sentenced to 15 years in prison and testified against 'El Chapo' Guzmán.
On the other hand, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada has recently expressed through his lawyer that he has no intention of becoming a protected witness, but would be seeking a plea agreement to plead guilty and avoid the death penalty. In contrast, Joaquín and Ovidio Guzmán apparently had reached an agreement with the authorities. 'El Mayo' Zambada requested help from the Government of Mexico for his extradition, which could lead him to testify against his own father with the protection of the United States.
In another case, Jesús Reynaldo 'Rey' Zambada, a relative of 'El Mayo', was one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel in various regions of Mexico. After agreeing to cooperate with the authorities, he received a 12-year prison sentence and testified against 'El Chapo' and Genaro García Luna. He is expected to testify again in a future trial against his brother, 'El Mayo' Zambada.
Finally, Óscar Nava 'El Lobo' Valencia and Dámaso López Serrano 'El Mini Lic' are other examples of drug traffickers who chose to collaborate with U.S. authorities in exchange for reduced sentences. These cases reflect the complex dynamic between drug cartels and authorities, highlighting how some members of these organizations seek to protect themselves through cooperation.
