Mexico has launched an investigation into an alleged US violation of its sovereignty. This follows the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) displaying an aircraft reportedly used to transport drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada to the US. "If a US agency participated in this operation, they violated international treaties and the Mexican constitution", President Claudia Sheinbaum stated at a press conference on 7/7.

Zambada, a co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, was arrested on 25/7/2024 at an airport in El Paso, Texas. He was apprehended alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who also co-founded the Sinaloa cartel and is serving a life sentence in the US. The drug lord pleaded guilty two weeks after prosecutors pledged not to seek the death penalty.

Drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Photo: Reuters

In December 2025, Guzman Lopez admitted to betraying and kidnapping Zambada, then taking him to the Texas airport. This was reportedly done in exchange for leniency from US authorities. Mexican Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez highlighted the contradictory statements regarding US involvement. "The explanations are contradictory. Someone has lied", she said, referring to a prior affirmation from the US embassy in Mexico that no US agency participated in the operation.

The conflict among Sinaloa cartel factions, which erupted after Zambada's arrest, has resulted in thousands of deaths or disappearances. This incident further strains relations, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed drug cartels control Mexico. Trump has warned he would deploy ground forces into the neighboring country if President Sheinbaum did not crack down on crime.

Sheinbaum has downplayed these threats, emphasizing that the Mexican military uses US-provided intelligence to pursue drug lords. An example is the February operation to eliminate cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera. However, concerns about US operations on Mexican soil are not new.

In February, two Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents died under unclear circumstances while participating in an anti-drug operation with soldiers and police in Chihuahua state, bordering the US. Preliminary information suggests this operation may not have been authorized by the Mexican government. President Sheinbaum's administration previously launched an investigation to determine if the presence of CIA agents violated national security regulations, escalating diplomatic tensions.

The aircraft believed to have carried El Mayo and Joaquin in the US on 25/7/2024. Photo: Reuters

Days after the CIA incident, the US Department of Justice indicted former Sinaloa state governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine current and former officials on drug-related charges. Rocha Moya is a member of Sheinbaum's ruling left-wing Morena party and a close ally of former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is considered her political advisor. In response, Sheinbaum demanded the US provide "authentic evidence" against Rocha Moya before considering his extradition.

Over the past 30 years, the Sinaloa cartel has earned billions of USD by trafficking drugs into the US. Initially, Sinaloa dealt in cocaine, then shifted to heroin and fentanyl during Zambada's leadership. It is Mexico's oldest criminal organization and one of the world's most brutal and powerful drug cartels. The US has designated Sinaloa as a terrorist organization.

Huyen Le (According to AFP)