The security chief in Mexico announced on Tuesday that the family of infamous cartel leader El Chapo has entered the United States. This development is related to ongoing negotiations with the Trump administration concerning one of his son’s trafficking charges.
Omar Hamido Garcia Halfucci, Mexico’s security secretary, confirmed that the 17 family members of Guzman Lopez—who were handed over to the U.S. back in 2023—have now crossed the border.
Reports indicate that El Chapo’s relatives escaped from Culiacan and surrendered to FBI agents at the Tijuana border, allegedly after making a pact with U.S. authorities.
Guzman Lopez is recognized as one of the brothers who stepped into leadership roles within the Sinaloa Cartel following El Chapo’s imprisonment in the U.S. in 2016. Recent reports suggest that he is considering a guilty plea to avoid trial on multiple trafficking charges.
Garcia Halfucci also shared in a radio interview that discussions are ongoing with Guzman Lopez, confirming the family’s entry into the U.S.
“His family will go to the U.S. for negotiations or offers from the Department of Justice,” said Garcia Halfucci.
He emphasized that the family has not been targeted by Mexican authorities and pointed out that the Trump administration is obligated to keep Mexican prosecutors informed.
This news comes after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed charges of “narcoterrorism” against notable cartel leaders.
“To the leaders of the Sinaloa cartels, you are no longer hunters; you are the hunted. Expect betrayal from friends and threats from enemies,” she stated.
U.S. officials also announced the arrest of two leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, a father-and-son duo, linked to a significant fentanyl production network. They claim that after El Chapo’s capture, his sons took over control of the cartel, which has been designated a terrorist group by President Trump.
Ovidio Guzman is charged with smuggling drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States. Guzmán López was arrested in El Paso, Texas, in July 2024, after reportedly coordinating his own surrender as part of a potential deal with U.S. law enforcement.
These arrests have led to violent infighting within the cartel, resulting in the deaths of over 2,600 people in Sinaloa, northwestern Mexico.
