The world’s most powerful drug lord, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, denies allegations that he was tricked into boarding the plane that took him to U.S. authorities in Texas last month.
Zambada, who was arrested on July 25 along with one of El Chapo’s sons, Joaquin Guzmán López, says he was ambushed at a meeting in Culiacán and put on a three-hour flight to the United States – rather than lured into boarding the plane with the lure of a real estate deal.
“On the contrary, I was kidnapped and brought to the United States by force and against my will,” Zambada wrote in a letter from prison released by his lawyer and obtained by CBS News.
He wrote that there were “many inaccurate reports” and that he would give the “true facts.” He said he wanted everyone to know that he did not turn himself in, made no deal and did not come voluntarily, the newspaper reported.
El Mayo wrote that he attended the meeting at the request of Guzmán López to resolve differences of opinion between political leaders in Sinaloa.
There he saw a large group of men in military uniforms. He claims he was led into a dark room and attacked. A hood was pulled over his head and he was taken onto the plane, he wrote in the letter.
According to the US Department of Justice, the leaders of the Mexican Sinaloa cartel were arrested in El Paso. They are accused of drug trafficking in connection with the distribution of deadly drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to officials, Zambada was lured onto the plane under the belief that he and Guzmán López would look for real estate in Mexico.
Instead, the plane landed in El Paso, where agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were waiting.
The arrest of the drug lord was probably a way out for Guzmán López and his brother, who may receive shorter prison sentences in exchange for their cooperation with the United States in the case against Zambada.
“The old man was set up,” a law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times.
Zambada arrived in the U.S. and was taken into custody by federal agents. He eventually pleaded not guilty, according to court records.
In his letter, he also denied the killing of Héctor Cuen, former congressman and mayor of Culiacan, and denied involvement in the disappearance of José Rosario Heras López, a commander of the Sinaloa State Judicial Police.
He called on the United States and Mexico to be “transparent” about his “kidnapping” and urged the people of Sinaloa to remain peaceful.
