El Mayo Zambada Claims He Was Kidnapped

– Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a prominent leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, has claimed he was ambushed and kidnapped under the pretense of a meeting with Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya. In a letter released by his lawyer, Zambada detailed how he was lured to a meeting on July 25, only to be assaulted, hooded, and handcuffed before being transported to the United States in a private plane alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of the infamous drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. The U.S. ambassador to Mexico confirmed Zambada's involuntary arrival in Texas, coinciding with Guzmán López's landing. Governor Rocha denied any complicity, asserting that Zambada was misled about the meeting. Zambada's letter did not indicate Rocha's presence at the alleged ambush site, but it did mention the murder of one of his security guards, a judicial police commander, on the same day. Zambada, 76, made his second court appearance in Texas in early August after being taken into U.S. custody. Guzmán López, 38, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in Chicago. Both remain incarcerated, with speculation surrounding Guzmán López's intentions to secure a more favorable legal outcome by bringing Zambada along. Zambada is facing multiple charges in the U.S., including a recent indictment in New York, where he is described as a principal leader in the narcotics trade. His strategic role in the Sinaloa cartel has been noted, particularly in contrast to the more notorious “El Chapo,” who is serving a life sentence in the U.S.