David Brooks and Jim Cason
Correspondents
La Jornada newspaper
Wednesday, August 6, 2025, p. 5
New York and Washington. The United States Attorney General – Chief of the Department of Justice – informed the courts and defense teams that he will not request the death penalty in the separate cases of three famous Mexican drug traffickers: ISMAEL May Zambada García, Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.
The most relevant case is that of Zambada García, one of the top leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was delivered to the US authorities after being transported by Joaquín Guzmán López in a plane in what he called a kidnapping in exchange for an agreement with one of Joaquín’s children El Chapo Guzmán Loera. Others suspect that it could be a more complex and even agreed maneuver, especially now that a possible agreement is being negotiated to avoid a trial with the Department of Justice.
Unlike extradited prisoners and fugitives from Mexico to the United States that by legal agreement are exempt from the death penalty, that is not the case of Zambada García for not arriving as extradited. The same applies in the cases of Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes that were expelled along with 27 other inmates by the Government of Mexico and delivered to the United States authorities.
Therefore, until today they were subject to a legal process that included an eventual death sentence if they were convicted in a trial.
In the case of MayFederal prosecutors notified Judge Brian Cogan, from the federal court of the East district based in Brooklyn, New York in June, who continued to discuss The potential for a resolution without a trial
that is, an agreement. The next audience about your case is scheduled for August 25.
Zambada García faces 17 federal criminal charges against drug trafficking. He first appeared in New York in September last year after being transferred from Texas where he arrived with the son of El Chapo July 25, 2024.
In the case of Caro Quintero, the main reason for the process against a former drug trafficker without recent relevance and of another era, revolves around the accusation that he was in charge of the torture and death of the American anti -narcotics agent Enrique Kiki Camarena in 1985, 40 years ago. His cause, repeatedly states the DEA anti -narcotics agency and the Department of Justice, is an example that anyone who commits a crime against US officers or agents will account for the justice of that country at some point.
That was why at his first hearing before the Federal Court of the Eastern District at the end of February, he was received with the presence of about 100 DEA agents and other federal agencies. Therefore, this case is expected to proceed to judgment to serve as an example that there will be no impunity in that type of crime. We have waited 40 years for this day
prosecutors in charge of the case have repeated. His next appointment before the Court to continue preparations for eventual trial is September 18.
Carrillo Fuentes, The Viceroywho was also expelled and delivered by Mexico to the US authorities – one of the 29 prisoners expelled by Mexico at the end of February – faces seven charges related to drug trafficking. It is negotiating a potential agreement to avoid both a trial and a possible life imprisonment. Your next appointment for a preliminary audience in your case is September 30.
Joaquín Guzmán sends a letter to Judge Cogan
In related news, Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán sent a letter to Judge Cogan thanking him for his authorization to incorporate a new lawyer, Israel José Encinosa, from Florida to his defense team a month ago.
In the letter, handmable that can visit and soften me (sic) by phone
. There is no more information about the reasons why that lawyer is incorporated.
