The United States has denied orchestrating the capture of Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who arrived in Texas on a private plane last week, Mexico said Monday.
US agents received around two hours’ notice that the Sinaloa Cartel co-founder — one of Mexico’s most-wanted drug traffickers — was on board the aircraft, Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez said.
The information appeared to support the theory that Zambada was betrayed by his partners.
The 76-year-old was detained on Thursday after disembarking at an airport near El Paso with Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another cartel co-founder, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
US authorities were informed on several previous occasions that Guzman Lopez was considering surrendering, according to the information received from Washington, Rodriguez said.
On Thursday morning, information received by authorities indicated that Guzman Lopez planned to arrive on a private flight that day to turn himself in.
US media have quoted law enforcement sources as saying that Zambada was unwittingly lured across the border by Guzman Lopez, one of El Chapo’s four sons.
According to a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) report released in May, the sons were engaged in an “internal battle” against Zambada, their father’s former partner.
Mexico has said that it was not involved in the capture of Zambada, who is reportedly in ill health.
The United States had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.