EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The president of Mexico says there’s no indication that an all-out war is coming in the wake of the arrest in the United States of two top Sinaloa cartel leaders last week.
“We are vigilant everywhere. Also, the criminals know confrontation won’t solve anything, just put other people’s lives in danger. I trust there will be no confrontation. I wish for it. And I ask everyone to behave responsibly and that we will bet on peace,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday.
The comments came in response to questions about a further fracturing of one of the world’s largest transnational criminal organizations given news reports of a possible betrayal between the two criminal leaders now in U.S. custody.
The attorney for jailed Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada sent a statement to various American news outlets saying his client was “kidnapped” by Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The two men were arrested after landing in the Dona Ana County Jetport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, Lopez Obrador said on Monday.
Mexican Public Safety Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez said she requested official information from the United States as to what happened the day of the arrests. On Monday, she read a seven-point letter forwarded to the Mexican government by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.
The letter said the U.S. government had learned that Guzman Lopez previously had considered surrendering to face drug charges north of the border but never followed through with that intent.
The U.S. learned on Thursday morning that Guzman Lopez, one of jailed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera’s sons, was considering surrendering by flying in a private airplane from Mexico to U.S. territory.
By Thursday afternoon, the U.S. had learned that Guzman Lopez was in the air, but had no previous knowledge of the plan, Rodriguez said.
A few minutes later, U.S. law enforcement “were informed” that Zambada might be on the airplane, too, but had no independent confirmation, Rodriguez said. The flight was “not planned” by U.S. government agencies, she said.
The airplane landed in Santa Teresa at 4:24 p.m. (Mexico City time) and its two passengers were detained. There was no mention of who was the pilot or what happened to them.
“The Mexican government was notified that Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ismael Zambada were the two passengers on the airplane. Once identifications were confirmed, the US. Embassy communicated with (the Mexican government) and sent photographs,” Rodriguez said.
She added the Mexican government has opened its own investigation of “any crimes that may have been committed” during or as a result of the flight. The investigation is based in the state of Sonora, where Mexican officials previously said the pilot took off.
“The Ministry of Public Safety will seek a clear picture of the facts of how (Guzman Lopez and Zambada) went into U.S. custody in actions that the Mexican government did not participate,” Rodriguez said.
Lopez Obrador also denied having information on the pilot. “They say he’s not a U.S. government pilot. We don’t know. It was a different plane” than the one from Sonora, he said.
Lopez Obrador responded to a question by a Mexico City reporter by saying he did not discount the possibility of an incursion by U.S. forces, but “there’s no proof.”
He said a pre-determined number of U.S. agents is authorized by treaty to operate in Mexico with clearly defined roles.
He added there are different unconfirmed versions of the alleged kidnapping or of a pre-arranged surrender. He said he would wait to obtain official information from the United States and would not engage in speculation.
But he emphasized not having any indication a war is about to break out within the Sinaloa cartel.
“The armed forces are vigilant, but there is nothing, nothing, nothing that indicates there could be confrontations,” the president said. “We expect that these confrontations don’t take place. That is not the way – not violence. So, wait for more information and turn your back on violence.”