Who is Mauro Alberto Núñez Ojeda, ‘El Jando’, the pilot who took ‘El Mayo’ Zambada to the United States?

For almost two years, Mauro Alberto Núñez Ojedaalias ‘El Jando’was a mysterious figure. His name appeared related to the faction leadership Los Chapitos of the Sinaloa Cartel, but it was not publicly known that he played a key role in the delivery of the historic capo Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada to the United States. Today, the US authorities and various journalistic investigations point it out as the trusted pilot who drove the aircraft in which the founder of the Sinaloa Cartel crossed the bordera flight that triggered a political crisis between Mexico and USA and it meant one of the biggest blows for a mafia that dominated the global drug business. drug trafficking.

The revelations about ‘El Jando’ coincide with a crucial moment in the case of ‘El Mayo’ Zambada77 years old, who He agreed last week to plead guilty in the United States and accept a life sentence. Thus, he seeks to avoid a trial that could lead to a death penalty sentence.

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The story begins on July 25, 2024, when Joaquín Guzmán Lópezone of the sons of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and member of Los Chapitosconvinced ‘The May’ Zambada to attend a meeting with a politician at a ranch near Culiacán. The objective of the meeting was to resolve internal disputes of the Sinaloa Cartel. But actually It was a trap.

Once there, Zambada would have been ambushed, subdued by armed men and forced to board a plane Beechcraft King Air piloted by ‘El Jando’which took off towards the United States.

Hours later, The aircraft landed at an airport in New Mexico, where federal agents detained both ‘El Mayo’ Zambada like Guzmán López.

Later, and when he was already in prison, Zambada published a message where he denounced that He was kidnapped by Guzmán López and transferred against his will to the United States.

Today Joaquín Guzmán López remains in the custody of US authorities. Late last year he pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and continued criminal association. His next court hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2026.

The pilot who handed over ‘El Mayo’ Zambada

‘El Jando’ He was arrested on February 8, 2025 in the community of Jesús María, municipality of Culiacán, Sinaloa, during a joint operation by the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, the Secretariat of Defense, the Navy, the National Guard and the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Mexico.

According to La Jornada, he was arrested for carrying a firearm for exclusive use of the Army, crimes against healthwas also pointed out to be mastermind of bomb attacks perpetrated against security forces in November 2024, and accused of having sent an armed group to try to rescue Ovidio Guzmán López during the operation known as Culiacanazo on January 5, 2023.

At the time of his arrest, the Mexican Government identified him as aviator pilot and trusted logistics operator of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazarson of ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and one of the leaders of Los Chapitos.

In August 2025, ‘El Jando’ was handed over to US authoritieswhich required it for drug trafficking. In April 2026, accepted a plea deal with the Department of Justice, according to the newspaper El País.

Initially Mexico did not link ‘El Jando’ with the investigation of the transfer of ‘El Mayo’ Zambada to the United States.

Only with the passing of the months and the disclosure of court documents and journalistic investigations did his role in that case become known.

According to an investigation published by El País last week, Núñez Ojeda was the one who piloted the plane that took off from Mexico and landed in the United States with ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López on board.

That aircraft was later exhibited by the FBI in a museum in New Mexico, which revived the controversy over possible American participation in the operation.

Although the FBI recently acknowledged that it had the plane used in the operation under its control and took credit for Zambada’s transfer, El País’ investigation concludes that the pilot did not belong to the US Governmentbut he was a member of the Sinaloa Cartel.

The discovery supports the statement made at the time by the then US ambassador Ken Salazarwho said: “It was not our plane, nor our pilot, nor our operation.”

One of the most striking data from the El País report is that, after landing in New Mexico and delivering to ‘The May’the pilot He asked to be deported immediately to Mexicoa request that was accepted by the US authorities. He then continued to operate for the criminal organization until his capture months later.

According to court documents cited by El País, ‘Jando’ hid his identity using a cousin’s passportidentified as Alejandro Ojeda Ávila, a practice that allowed him to reduce the risk of being detected during his international travels.

In his plea agreement in the United States, Núñez Ojeda said that his time in organized crime began in January 2014, when he became involved with members of the Sinaloa Cartel and began working for that criminal structure in support and transportation tasks.

He was secretary and armed escort of Óscar Medina Noé González, ‘Panu’one of the associates of the Sinaloa Cartel and who was murdered on December 21, 2025 in the Zona Rosa of Mexico City.

His other work as in charge of radios and communications between commanders and security personnel of the bosses led him to have direct communication with Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar.

That link opened the doors of the operational structure of Los Chapitos. ‘El Jando’ first piloted private aircraft and helicopters for the organization and, over the years, rose to coordinate flights, pilots and ground staff, supervise the air fleet and participate in transfer operations inside and outside Mexico. In this way, it consolidated itself as one of the most trusted logistics operators of the criminal group.

‘El Jando’ transported shipments of cocaine under direct orders from Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar. The plea agreement mentions a 2017 flight from Costa Rica with about 400 kilos of cocainefor which he received around 200 thousand dollars.

In United States court documents, he admits that he continued participating in similar missions from different points in Mexico and abroad, including Ecuador, transporting hundreds or thousands of kilos of cocaine, as well as weapons and leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Finally, on July 8, the Attorney General of Mexico, Ernestina Godoy Ramos, reported that They already had identified the pilot who transferred ‘El Mayo’.

Godoy Ramos pointed out that Mexican Airspace Navigation Services provided the audio in which the pilot requested a transponder code from the Juárez International Airport control tower to enter the United States. He explained that this allowed, through expert opinions, the identification of the pilot to be achieved, although he did not give more details.

He only stated that This person had been detained in Mexico and later delivered to the United States.

On Friday, the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaumasked the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) to explain under what conditions ‘El Jando’ was handed over to the United States. The president also asked for clarification when it became known that he piloted the plane in which ‘El Mayo’ was taken to that country.