El Chapo Family: US Escort from Mexico?
U.S. authorities secretly moved several relatives of “El Chapo” Guzmán from Mexico to the U.S., sparking a wave of speculation. This controversial transfer, involving at least 17 family members, has raised eyebrows, especially after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum voiced her displeasure over the lack of notification. The primary_keyword is the El Chapo family, given the familial relocation, as the secondary_keyword centers on potential plea deals. Security experts and journalists see the relocation linked to potential plea deals for El Chapo’s son, Ovidio Guzmán López, on drug smuggling charges, and internal conflict within the Sinaloa cartel that could affect the relatives.Discover more about the implications of this evolving story from News Directory 3, including the future involvement of El Chapo’s family and what deals this may bring.
“El Chapo” Guzmán’s Relatives Secretly Moved to US Amid Sinaloa Cartel Turmoil
Updated June 04, 2025
In what appears to be a coordinated move, U.S. authorities reportedly transported at least 17 relatives of joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the infamous Sinaloa cartel co-founder, from Tijuana to San Diego. The transfer raises questions about U.S.-Mexico relations and potential deals involving the drug kingpin’s family.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum voiced her frustration, stating that Mexican officials were not informed about the operation. “We are doing our work” to combat drug trafficking, Sheinbaum said, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to provide details and explain the situation.
Mexico’s security chief, Omar García Harfuch, suggested the transfer was part of a “negotiation” between the U.S.Justice Department and representatives of Ovidio Guzmán López, El Chapo’s son, who faces drug smuggling charges in Chicago. Guzmán López, known as El Ratón, is expected to change his plea to guilty, though the details of any agreement remain undisclosed. A court hearing is scheduled for July 9.
Images circulating on social media purportedly show El Chapo’s relatives entering the U.S. at the San Ysidro border crossing. The current location and status of the family members are unknown, but security experts suggest they could be vulnerable to violence related to the internal conflict within the Sinaloa cartel.
The U.S. Justice Department has not commented on why Mexico was not notified of the transfer. Nicole Navas, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined to comment. Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzmán Lopez’s attorney, did not respond to requests for comment.
The case against Guzmán López is part of a broader U.S. effort to dismantle the Sinaloa cartel, which the Trump administration designated as a foreign terrorist organization. El Chapo is currently serving a life sentence in a Colorado “supermax” prison after his 2019 conviction for running a vast drug network.
“As we saw in the news, Ovidio begins a negotiation with the Department of Justice of the United States and it’s evident that, [with] his family going to the United States, it’s because of that negotiation,” García Harfuch told Mexico’s Radio Formula.
What’s next
The situation remains fluid, with potential implications for U.S.-Mexico relations, the future of the Sinaloa cartel, and the ongoing war on drugs. The possibility of Guzmán López cooperating with U.S. authorities and the protection of his family could significantly impact future drug cases.