2 sons of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán in plea negotiations with US, attorneys say

Two sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the infamous leader of one of Mexico’s most notorious cartels, are currently in negotiations with the U.S. government regarding extensive drug-trafficking charges, as confirmed by their attorneys on Tuesday.

Joaquin Guzmán López, aged 38, has recently entered into plea negotiations with federal prosecutors, while his brother Ovidio Guzmán López, aged 34, began similar negotiations back in October, according to statements made in a Chicago courtroom. Despite initially pleading not guilty, neither of the brothers were present at the brief hearing on Tuesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine mentioned in court that more time was needed to explore the possibility of a global resolution, without providing further details. He declined to speak to reporters after the hearing.

In recent years, the Guzmán brothers have been leading a faction of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel known as the “Chapitos,” which has been identified as a significant exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. In 2023, federal prosecutors unveiled extensive indictments against numerous members of the cartel, including the brothers, in connection with a fentanyl-trafficking investigation.

Joaquin Guzmán López was arrested in July in a dramatic capture by U.S. authorities in Texas, alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a long-time leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Zambada claims that Guzmán López kidnapped him and transported him by private plane to the U.S., where he then turned himself in to authorities. The FBI alleges that Zambada and Guzmán López were responsible for overseeing the trafficking of large quantities of drugs into the U.S., along with associated violence. Zambada is scheduled to appear in court in New York the following week.

Ovidio Guzmán López is set to appear in court on February 27, while Joaquin Guzmán López’s next court date is March 19.

This article contains information based on reports from the Associated Press.