Numerous relatives of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the notorious Mexican drug trafficker, have recently entered the United States amid ongoing negotiations concerning his son, Ovidio Guzmán López. This information was disclosed by Mexico’s Security Secretary, Omar García Harfuch, during an interview with Radio Fórmula.
Ovidio faces drug trafficking charges in the US, tied to his involvement with the Sinaloa Cartel, an organisation co-founded by his father. After his extradition to the US in September 2023—following his arrest in a major operation that left at least 29 people dead—Ovidio initially pleaded not guilty. However, he has since agreed to alter his plea, though specific details of the agreement remain undisclosed.
García Harfuch suggested that the family’s arrival in the US is indicative of a negotiation opportunity facilitated by the US Department of Justice. Reports indicate that 17 of Ovidio’s family members have crossed the border into the US, with assurances that they are not sought by Mexican authorities.
Ovidio is one of four sons of El Chapo who face various charges in the US for their alleged roles in the cartel, collectively referred to as “Los Chapitos.” The brothers were reportedly introduced to the cartel at a young age and took on prominent roles around the mid-2010s, during which their father was captured and extradited to the US.
Another son, Joaquín Guzmán López, was arrested in July 2024 while attempting to enter the US on a private plane. He was apprehended alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a co-founder of the cartel, amid allegations that Joaquín conspired to lure Zambada onto the flight under false pretences.
In August, Mexico’s Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez claimed that Joaquín and Ovidio had reached an agreement for Ovidio to surrender to US authorities. However, Ovidio’s attorney has publicly challenged this assertion, labelling it a fabrication. Meanwhile, Zambada’s representative maintained that his client’s entry into the US was not voluntary but constituted a violent kidnapping.
Two more of El Chapo’s sons, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, remain at large, with the US offering bounties of US$10 million (approximately A$15.45 million) for information leading to their apprehension. Ovidio’s journey through the justice system has not been straightforward; he was previously arrested in 2019, but after a violent counter-operation by the cartel, he was released on the orders of then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to avert further bloodshed.
This situation continues to evolve as developments unfold in the ongoing saga of El Chapo’s legacy and the Sinaloa Cartel.