Residents in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa said Tuesday (7/30) they were anxious and worried about a spike in violence following the arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada by U.S. authorities.
About 200 Mexican Army members have been deployed to the Sinaloa capital, Culiacan, to bolster security in the state following the arrest of “El Mayo” and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Residents told Reuters news agency they feared that when the military left, clashes between cartels would break out in the area.
Zambada was arrested on Thursday (7/25) near El Paso, Texas, after landing on a small plane arriving from Mexico.
Reuters and other media outlets, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported last week that El Mayo appeared to have been tricked by the son of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who wanted to surrender to authorities.
However, Zambada's lawyer, Frank Perez, denied the story and said the legendary trafficker was brutally kidnapped by El Chapo's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez.
Perez said Guzman Lopez and six men in military uniforms ambushed Zambada near Culiacan in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, then forced him onto a plane and took him to the United States against his will.
Zambada pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in federal court in El Paso, Texas. (th/lt)
