(NewsNation) — The Sinaloa Cartel is reportedly facing threats of infighting after its co-founder, and alleged drug kingpin, Ismael Zambada García awaits trial in the United States.
Zambada, also known as “El Mayo”, was allegedly brought to the U.S. against his will by one of “El Chapo’s” sons, Joaquín Guzmán López.
El Chapo and Zambada co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel and spearheaded two factions: The Chapitos and Mayiza, respectively.
With Zambada alleging he was betrayed by Guzmán, the alleged leader of Chapitos, it has brought the prospect of civil war between the groups closer.
What’s happening with El Mayo?
The capos — Guzmán and Zambada — were arrested last month after the two flew into an airport near El Paso, Texas. Zambada’s attorney says he was tricked by Joaquín Guzmán López and forced against his will to travel.
Zambada pleaded not guilty to several drugs and money laundering charges in El Paso federal court, waiving his court appearance on July 26.
According to El Paso Times, his lawyer is attempting to have him tried in El Paso prior to an appearance in front of a federal court in New York.
In a statement via his lawyer, Zambada says once he arrived in El Paso — against his consent — U.S. federal agents were waiting for him on the tarmac and made the arrest there.
“The notion that I surrendered or cooperated voluntarily is completely and unequivocally false,” Zambada said.
Violence inside the Sinaloa Cartel?
Despite accusations that he was beaten and abducted by the Chapitos leader, Zambada has called for calm in Sinaloa.
“I also call on the people of Sinaloa to use restraint and maintain peace in our state. Nothing can be solved by violence. We have been down that road before, and everyone loses,” he said in the statement.
On Aug. 2, seven inmates in a Juarez prison were injured when a fight broke out between members of the Sinaloa Cartel’s factions.
A state official said it was not due to the capture of Zambada, and instead stemmed from “personal issues” between the men.
InSight Crime reports there is unrest in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. Seven people were reportedly killed on Aug. 17 in Elota, a municipality in Sinaloa.
“Who knows what is going to happen, but right now I don’t trust anyone,” a woman told Insight Crime.
A drug trafficker near Culiacán told the outlet; “there are no words for what the Chapitos did. Of course, a lot of us are angry.”
The Mexican Government’s Involvement
As a result of the seismic arrests, there is reportedly an increased government presence in the region made globally famous by the cartel.
“There is a high government presence around here now. That worries me. I have to watch my back better,” a drug producer told InSight Crime.
Mexican prosecutors are bringing charges against Guzmán for allegedly abducting Zambada, citing treasonous behavior.
Guzmán’s defense attorney Jeffrey Lichtman rebuked the impending arrest warrant in a statement to CNN last week.
“The corrupt Mexican government has made more of an effort over the last three weeks to prosecute the alleged kidnapping of Mayo Zambada, the biggest drug dealer on the planet, than to actually locate and prosecute Zambada over the past 40 years,” Lichtman said.
Would violence slow down the cartel?
According to reporting from InSight Crime, drug trafficking would not be affected if Sinaloa was to have infighting between its two main factions.
“I am not affected by (El Mayo’s) capture. If we don’t work with him, it will be with someone else,” a fentanyl trafficker told InSight.