The Mexican drug trafficker Ismael Zambada Garcia, alias ‘El Mayo’was arrested by the United States on July 25 when he arrived on a private plane in El Paso, Texas, along with Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera. US authorities have not given detailed information on how the arrest of ‘El Mayo’, historical leader and founder of the Sinaloa CartelThis lack of official data has led to speculation that the drug lord was tricked and kidnapped by his companion in order to be handed over to the US, while another theory maintains that the handover was voluntary after an agreement negotiated over years.
This Tuesday, the Government of Mexico He referred to the issue and assured that the capture of ‘The May‘ was part of an agreement between the United States authorities and the son of ‘El Chapo’ Guzman.
“What they (the Americans) informed us was Guzman Lopezwho had talks with him and suddenly not only Guzmán López arrived but Mr. Zambada arrived”President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) at his daily press conference.
Mexican drug lord Ismael El Mayo Zambada remains in a US prison. (El Universal de México, GDA).
AMLO He did not want to give more details, arguing that he is waiting for more “official information” from USA because it is a “delicate matter” and could generate “a greater conflict” in Mexico.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Mexico, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, also spoke on the subject. The official confirmed that Only the capture of Joaquin Guzman Lopez was agreed upon.
“In United States There was an agreement between people who are in seclusion with the people who are free. There was an agreement between them for the respective delivery (of Joaquin) in the United States. Basically that is what it consists of,” Rodriguez explained.
“To the agreement refers to the brothers Ovid and Joachim (Guzmán López)?” he was asked.
“That’s right,” the official replied.
Ismael El Mayo Zambada Garcia (left), co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel; and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo Guzman. (AFP).
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Following these statements, the Mexican newspaper El Universal deduced that Joaquin and Ovid Guzman Lopez (currently imprisoned in the United States) agreed with the American Government to hand over the first one to give benefits to the second.
What is unknown so far is how ‘The May Zambada appeared in Texas along with Joaquin Guzman Lopez.
The private plane that transported Ismael El Mayo Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, at a private airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, United States. (EFE/ Cesar Contreras).
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The companies of ‘El Mayo’ Zambada
While it is being clarified how he was arrested ‘The May’US authorities have offered information on the complex money laundering networks and the creation of front companies used by the drug lord to hide illicit proceeds from drug trafficking.
For example, according to Univision News, The jingle bellsa water park located in the south of Culiacan (Sinaloa), was sanctioned in 2013 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFACfor its acronym in English) of USA because the wife and four daughters of ‘The May’ Zambada were the owners.
The Los Cascabeles Water Park, located in Culiacán.
According to a release which was published at that time by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The jingle bells was one of the illegal business “that feed the drug trafficits violence and corruption… The Sinaloa Cartel cannot hide behind “front companies like a water park”.
Los Cascabeles was established by the lawyer José Antonio Núñez Bedoyawho played a key role in the Creation of front companies for ‘El Mayo’ Zambadaaccording to the Argentine newspaper The nation.
Despite US sanctions, Los Cascabeles Water Park continues with its activities.
According to the portal of the Mexico Destinations Program, Los Cascabeles “consists of 10 hectares with a family atmosphere with large green areas, children’s pools and the largest pool in Sinaloa. It also offers slides, a lake, a dock, a barbecue area, an event room and 32 cabins for lodging.”
Univision, based on OFAC data, reported that the Zambada family also distributed one of the most consumed brands of milk in Sinaloa call Santa Monica‘El Mayo’ gave him that name in honor of his youngest daughter Monica del Rosario Zambada Niebla.
Santa Monica milk is still sold in northern Mexico, but is currently distributed by a company with a different name than the one sanctioned by OFAC in 2007, Univision notes.
The American media points out that another method of money laundering is related to the acquisition of a business that does not arouse suspicion: a nursery schoolThe Zambadas ran the daycare center called Niño Feliz, whose building is located in the center of Culiacán.
Univision describes that in the business empire of ‘The May’ Zambada There are ranches, a shopping center, a construction company, a gas station and a transportation company, according to OFAC.
The United States offered 15 million dollars for the capture of El Mayo Zambada.
Platini Jeans Cougara clothing company based in Los Angeles, was also accused of being linked to money launderers for ‘El Mayo’, according to US court documents cited by Univision. The company had an illegal business partnership with Maria Tiburcia Cazares Perez, who was Zambada’s operator.
Univision indicates that Maria Tiburcia Cazarez Perez She was sentenced to 15 years in prison in the United States on charges of narcotics distribution.
The company was fined $10 million, but it still sells clothing in Los Angeles.
The United States government estimates that El Chapo Guzmán accumulated an illicit fortune of more than 12 billion dollars, but it is believed that El Mayo Zambada’s wealth is even greater, since he was at the top of the Mexican drug trade since the 1970s, Univisión highlights.
Unlike El Chapo, El Mayo Zambada kept a low profile and did not like luxuries, he preferred life in the countryside and hid in the mountains.
Univision reports that part of El Mayo’s fortune ended up in the pockets of corrupt Mexican officials.
His eldest son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, alias ‘El Vicentillo’, declared in his diary published in the book “El Traidor” by journalist Anabel Hernández, that his father was forced to give bribes every month to military personnel, police officers, government officials and politicians.
According to ‘El Vicentillo’, his father gave away so much money that he was once on the verge of losing liquidity.
But the DEA says money from drug sales in the United States was constantly flowing into Zambada’s coffers in Mexico.
Last Thursday, Zambada He appeared in a Texas court in a wheelchair and looking frail. He pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder.
A portrait of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, the co-founder of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, before a Texas judge. (Image by Andrei Rentería)
