In brief
The family members are believed to have entered the U.S. potentially as part of a plea agreement related to criminal activities of the cartel.
In a surprising development, a group of 17 family members of Sinaloa Cartel leaders crossed into the United States last week, as confirmed by Mexico’s Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch. This event is believed to be linked to a potential negotiation or plea deal involving the Trump administration.Local media outlet Pie de Nota reported that the relatives, including the ex-wife of notorious crime boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, had flown from a cartel stronghold before surrendering to U.S. federal authorities in Tijuana. This report has sparked rumors and speculation regarding the motivations behind this sudden move.The Sinaloa Cartel, co-founded by El Chapo, is renowned as one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations, but it has faced internal strife and fragmentation due to escalating violence among rival factions and the prosecution of its leadership in the U.S. President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico addressed the reports, stating: "there is no more information" beyond what has been publicly seen. However, García Harfuch later confirmed that the family members include relatives of Ovidio Guzmán López, El Chapo's son, who was extradited to the U.S. in 2023. García Harfuch elaborated, indicating that this significant family movement likely signifies a negotiation with the Department of Justice, hinting at a broader strategy concerning the ongoing efforts to dismantle the cartel's influence.
