Mexico’s government has confirmed reports that 17 family members of the son of a former cartel leader crossed into the United States.

Mexico’s security chief confirmed Tuesday that 17 family members of cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of a deal between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed a report by independent journalist Luis Chaparro that family members of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, who was extradited to the United States in 2023, had entered the U.S.

Guzmán Lopez is one of the brothers left running a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel after notorious capo Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was imprisoned in the U.S. Video showed the family members walking across the border from Tijuana with their suitcases to waiting U.S. agents.

    • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.comEnglish
      7·
      7 hours ago

      The why is answered in the article. About the family member (cartel boss) currently imprisoned in the US:

      He believed that was the case because the former cartel boss, whose lawyer said in January he had entered negotiations with U.S. authorities, had been pointing fingers at members of other criminal organizations likely as part of a cooperation agreement.

      “It is evident that his family is going to the U.S. because of a negotiation or an offer that the Department of Justice is giving him,” Garcia Harfuch said.

      I’m not sure if there is precedence for this before, I am just a lowly pleb.

      • stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net
        4·
        5 hours ago

        That makes a certain amount of sense. Cartels go after the families of snitches, so I imagine this guy wanted them safe in the US before he cooperated.

      • vortic@lemmy.world
        2·
        6 hours ago

        Ah, I guess I missed that part when reading. So, they’re likely cooperating with investigations of other cartels.

    • HejMedDig
      201·
      18 hours ago

      Rumors had circulated last week that the younger Guzmán would plead guilty to avoid trial for several drug trafficking charges in the U.S. after being extradited in 2023.

      He believed that was the case because the former cartel boss, whose lawyer said in January he had entered negotiations with U.S. authorities, had been pointing fingers at members of other criminal organizations likely as part of a cooperation agreement.

      “It is evident that his family is going to the U.S. because of a negotiation or an offer that the Department of Justice is giving him,” Garcia Harfuch said.

      So it looks like they are trying to exit the game

    • doug@lemmy.todayEnglish
      20·
      19 hours ago

      “How long will they be here.” lol

      They’ll see themselves out, they’re just here for a trip to Disneyland.