Judge orders Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada to remain detained in the US without bail

Mayo will remain detained in the US.

He faces 38 serious charges.

Captured with Guzmán López.

Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel along with Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, will remain detained in the United States without bail.

A federal judge ordered the measure while the case against him moves forward, marking a crucial moment in the fight against drug trafficking.

Drug lord Zambada, 76, was captured by authorities upon landing in El Paso, Texas, after evading justice for decades.

Along with him, Joaquín Guzmán López, El Chapo’s son, was also captured in a surprise operation that took many by surprise.

Judge gives news about El Mayo Zambada

Mayo will remain in custody without bail in the US – Photo: Screenshot X/Shutterstock

Judge Anne Berton ruled that there were no «conditions» for Zambada’s release «that would reasonably ensure» his future appearances in court.

The judge also noted that his release would not guarantee the safety of citizens, writing this in a document filed with the Western District Court of Texas.

For this reason, he ordered that ‘El Mayo’ Zambada be transferred to a prison where he will be isolated «to the extent possible.»

He wants to avoid him being around people who are «waiting or serving their sentence or who are waiting for an appeal.»

Zambada declined to attend the hearing on Wednesday, August 31, but must appear in person before the court in El Paso tomorrow, Thursday.

At this procedural hearing, the Mexican drug trafficker will plead not guilty to the charges against him through his defense.

Although currently under the jurisdiction of this district in Texas, Zambada has at least four open cases in other parts of the United States.

This leaves open the possibility that he could be tried in another city, depending on how each of the cases progresses.

In the state of Texas, he faces an indictment filed in 2012 by US authorities against several Mexican drug lords.

The 38 crimes include charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, underscoring the seriousness of the accusations against him.

The circumstances surrounding the arrest of one of Mexico’s most powerful drug traffickers are fraught with unknowns.

His lawyer in Texas, Frank Pérez, told EFE that ‘El Mayo’ arrived in the United States «against his will.»

According to leaks to US media, Guzmán López deceived ‘El Mayo’ into coming to the United States to benefit his brother Ovidio Guzmán.

Ovidio Guzmán was extradited to the United States in September of last year, adding a layer of complexity to the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice has portrayed the arrest of Zambada and Guzmán López as a blow to drug cartels.

They also described it as a measure against the «fentanyl threat» in the country, although they have declined to give more information about this case.

Mexican authorities have said they were not aware of the operation and did not collaborate in the capture of Zambada.

Mexican Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez said yesterday that her government has already opened an investigation into the case.

She revealed that the United States did not plan the flight that led to the arrest of ‘El Mayo’ and Guzmán in El Paso.

Guzmán López, for his part, also pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges during an initial hearing in a federal court in Chicago.

Zambada’s arrest marks a significant moment in the history of drug trafficking, as he is one of the most notorious and elusive leaders.

His capture and the judge’s subsequent decision to hold him without bail underscores the seriousness of the case against him.

Attention now turns to future hearings and how the multiple legal cases against him in the United States will play out.

Meanwhile, the international community is watching closely, waiting to see if this capture will lead to more arrests and cartel dismantling.

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PHOTO: MundoNOW