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Chapitos Gain Time in Talks to Seal Plea Deal

by Chief Editor
written by Chief Editor

Title: The Future of "Los Chapitos" Remains Uncertain as US Authorities and Defense Seek Extensions for Plea Bargain Talks

The sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, Joaquin Guzmán López and Ovidio Guzmán, continue to be the center of a legal drama as their case is adjourned to February and March, respectively, while negotiations for a plea bargain continue.

CHICAGO — The fate of Joaquin Guzmán López and Ovidio Guzmán, the sons of the infamous drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán, hangs in the balance as prosecutors and defense attorneys requested additional time to finalize plea bargain negotiations in their high-profile case, during a hearing held on Tuesday in the US District Court in Chicago. Both parties expressed a keen interest in reaching a guilty plea agreement, thereby avoiding a trial.

Federal prosecutors announced that they anticipate closing the case against Ovidio Guzmán, alias "El Ratón," by February 27, which is the scheduled date for the next hearing. Meanwhile, the discussions regarding the case of Joaquin Guzmán "El Güero" are expected to continue, with the next hearing set for March 19. The extensions prolong the mystery surrounding the possibility of the two narcotraffickers formally engaging with US authorities and cooperating in exchange for legal benefits.

During the hearing, prosecutors stated that they have been working with the legal representatives of the Guzmán family and are optimistic about reaching a plea agreement without the need for a trial. However, they noted that one of the issues remaining to be resolved is the fact that Ovidio Guzmán is also facing narcotrafficking and other criminal charges in New York. The parties are still discussing whether the plea bargain being negotiated in Illinois will also put an end to the case in New York.

In the specific case of "El Ratón," authorities are awaiting a response from the 34-year-old defendant within the next month and a half. Ovidio Guzmán was arrested in January 2023 and extradited to the US the following September. His visibly increased presence within the Sinaloa Cartel, a faction commanded by his siblings, had become a growing concern for authorities.

Ovidio Guzmán’s elder brother, Joaquin Guzmán, was taken into custody in July 2023, having landed at a rural airport near the US-Mexico border town of El Paso. Alongside him was Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a longstanding associate of their father. All four Guzmán siblings—Joaquin, Ovidio, Ivan Archivaldo, and Jesús Alfredo—face federal charges in the US, including drug trafficking, organized crime, money laundering, and illegal possession of firearms.

The Guzmán family’s legal team had previously hinted at their clients’ openness to entering into a plea bargain, following a hearing in October. This time, however, the brothers failed to attend the hearing alongside their primary attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, whose absence was attributed to scheduling conflicts.

The Justice Department’s shifting landscape, including the incoming administration of Donald Trump, adds an element of uncertainty to the legal proceedings. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman acknowledged this during the hearing, noting that the upcoming changes might contribute to further delays. Throughout the hearing, participants could be heard expressing confusion during a telephonic connection with Lichtman, who was not present.

Meanwhile, in Mexico, the Guzmán brothers have been accused of conspiring to overthrow their former ally, "El Mayo" Zambada. The Mexican Attorney General’s Office (FGR) named Joaquin Guzmán as the primary suspect in the kidnapping, which was a turning point in the longstanding power struggle within the Sinaloa Cartel. The FGR also revealed that Ovidio Guzmán is under investigation in relation to the same alleged crime. The Guzmán family’s legal representatives have consistently denied these allegations.

The ongoing feud between the two powerful branches of the Sinaloa Cartel has fueled a wave of violence in Culiacán, the organization’s historic stronghold in northwest Mexico. While Zambada is set to attend his next hearing in New York on January 15, the outcome of both cases remains uncertain, given the tense diplomatic relations, the escalating conflict in Sinaloa, and Trump’s imminent return to the White House on January 20.

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Armed Assault at Villahermosa Bar Leaves Five Dead, Seven Injured

by Chief Editor
written by Chief Editor

VillahermosaEngulfed in Violence: Five Dead, Seven Injured in BarAttack

Villahermosa, Tabasco, woke up to a grim reality on New Year’s Day, following a brazen attack at a local bar that left at least five people dead and seven others injured. The assault on La Casita Azul, located in the Tamulté de las Barrancas colony, occurred around 9:00 PM last Saturday.

Government spokesman Fernando Vázquez Rosas confirmed the fatalities and stated that the area is now under control. Authorities, including the National Guard, the Ministry of Defense, and state law enforcement, have launched a joint operation to investigate the incident.

This lamentable event is the latest in a series of violent occurrences that have plagued Tabasco, once considered a mostly peaceful state. The attack on La Casita Azul mirrors a similar incident that took place just over a month ago at DBar, where six people died, and ten were injured.

In the wake of this continued violence, the Mexican government faces increased pressure to address the escalating situation. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project, a U.S.-based organization that maps and analyzes violence, has highlighted Tabasco’s shift towards more dangerous territory. In its 2024 report, ACLED noted that the State’s criminal landscape has become increasingly divided, with local groups and powerful cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) vying for control of migrant trafficking routes.

The surge in violence coincides with a worrying uptick in homicides in Tabasco. According to Mexico’s National Public Security System, the State experienced a significant increase in homicides in December 2023, a trend that has persisted throughout 2024. With an estimated population of 2.2 million, Tabasco has traditionally remained outside Mexico’s most violent regions. However, security analyst Carlos Pérez Ricart attributed Tabasco’s recent uptick in violence to the territorial expansion of criminal conflict.

As Tabasco grapples with this new reality, regional and federal authorities must redouble their efforts to restore security and confront the root causes of the ongoing violence. The eyes of the nation are on Villahermosa, awaiting tangible measures to stem the tide of bloodshed in the once-peaceful city.

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Trump’s Red Line in the Fight Against Mexican Drug Cartels

by Chief Editor
written by Chief Editor

Trump‘s Declaration Stirs Storm: Designating Mexican Cartels as ‘Terrorist Organizations‘

A handful of words in an ocean of phrases, uttered by Donald Trump, have once again set off alarms on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Thepresident-elect’s announcement that he intends to designate Mexican cartels as "terrorist organizations" upon taking office on January 20 has left more questions than answers. How, when, and at what cost does he plan to do this? What implications would such a designation have? Could this open the door to controlled attacks on Mexican soil to decimate these powerful narcotrafficking groups? And how might Mexico respond to such an unprecedented move?

President-elect Trump made his statement during a meeting of the ultraconservative group Turning Point in Phoenix, Arizona, where he described Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as a "wonderful woman." Sheinbaum swiftly responded, asserting, "We collaborate, coordinate, and work together, but we will never subordinate ourselves. Mexico is a free, sovereign, and independent country, and we do not accept interventionism."

The U.S. Department of State maintains a list of 68 foreign terrorist organizations, including groups like Hamas, the Colombian National Liberation Army, and Peru’s Shining Path. The most recent additions, in December 2021, were the FARC and its offshoot, Segunda Marquetalia. Organizations that have previously been in the crosshairs of the U.S., such as ETA or the Khmer Rouge, have been delisted.

The primary consequences of being added to this list are financial. It allows authorities to freeze financial assets and facilitates combating money laundering. Moreover, it increases public awareness and sends a message to other governments about the concern these groups inspire.

However, a high-ranking Mexican embassy official contends that designating cartels as terrorist organizations would be a strategic mistake with unpredictable consequences for both countries. "You don’t combat organized crime with labels, you do it through cooperation and institutional strengthening," the official stated. The academic Carlos Pérez-Ricart warns that this level of tension between the two countries is unprecedented in the last 100 years and opens the door to a potential U.S. invasion.

The relationship between the two countries in matters of security has become complicated in recent years, particularly during the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. López Obrador’s nationalistic rhetoric and unilateral actions, such as the capture of General Salvador Cienfuegos, have strained diplomatic relations. Additionally, a recent poll shows that most Mexicans reject U.S. transgressions of their sovereignty.

Furthermore, the capture of Ismael Mayo Zambada, carried out unilaterally by the U.S., has added fuel to the fire, deepening the tensions between the two countries. Despite these challenges, the new Mexican administration led by President Sheinbaum is taking decisive action against cartels, including a recent historical seizure of fentanyl in Sinaloa.

This is not the first time the idea of designating cartels as terrorist organizations has been floated in Washington. In 2010, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton compared the situation in Mexico to Colombia 20 years ago, suggesting that cartels were displaying insurgency-like characteristics. Clinton also mentioned that the Obama administration was considering a Plan Colombia-style intervention for Mexico and Central America.

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Clarisa Sheinbaum Responds to Donald Trump: “We Will Never Submit”

by Chief Editor
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Mexico’s President Sheinbaum Responds to Trump‘s Cartel Terrorism Threat

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has responded to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to designate Mexican drug cartels as "terrorist organizations," stressing that while Mexico will collaborate in security matters, it will not tolerate interference in its sovereignty.

Sheinbaum, in a press conference at the National Palace, stated, "We collaborate, coordinate, work together, but we will never subordinate. Mexico is a free, sovereign, and independent country, and we do not accept interference in our internal affairs. It’s about collaboration and coordination, not subordination. We’re going to work on building peace."

The President underscored that the consumption of drugs mainly occurs in the United States, and it’s also the source of weapons fueling violence in Mexico. "I said so in my letter to President Donald Trump: drugs are consumed there, and weapons come from there, while we lose lives here. That’s not acceptable," Sheinbaum said.

This statement comes after Trump’s weekend declaration, during an event with the ultraconservative organization Turning Point, that he would "immediately" designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist groups and deploy all federal security forces to expel criminal migrant gangs.

Trump’s strategy is laced with racist and xenophobic undertones that echoed his previous presidential campaigns. He has promised to close the Mexican border on his first day in office and deport millions of migrants, regardless of their legal status, sending a shockwave through the North American economy.

Sheinbaum, firm in her stance, has warned that if mass deportations push migrants towards Mexico, she will request that the U.S. send non-Mexican migrants directly to their countries of origin.

Trump’s return to the White House poses significant challenges to Sheinbaum’s government plans, such as attracting investments through nearshoring, combating organized crime with social reintegration programs, and promoting human rights in migration.

Trump’s hardline policy, with its emphasis on immediate results, could clash with Sheinbaum’s proposals. As the bilateral relationship unfolds over the next six years, Sheinbaum’s negotiating skills will be put to the test.

The Mexican President, however, has shown determination in her previous interactions with Trump, a sentiment she reiterated in her response to the U.S. President-elect’s latest threat.

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U.S. to Designate Mexican Narco Cartels as Terrorist Organizations

by Chief Editor
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Hed: Trump Vows Harsh Measures on Immigration, Narcotics, and Borders in First Day in Oval Office

In a combative speech addressed to a fervent crowd at a conference hosted by ultraconservative nonprofit Turning Point USA in Phoenix, Arizona, President-elect Donald Trump painted a grim picture of the US’ immigration woes, vowing to prioritize border security and crack down on drug cartels on his first day in the Oval Office.

Trump, who is set to assume command of the world’s foremost superpower on January 20, emphasized, "All foreign gang members will be expelled, and I will immediately designate the cartels [of drug trafficking] as foreign terrorist groups. I will do it right away." The former president stated this after speaking of unleashing the full power of federal security forces—including ICE, Border Patrol, the DEA, and intelligence agencies—to deport, dismantle, and destroy illegal migrant criminal networks operating within the United States.

This isn’t the first time the incoming president has used apocalyptic rhetoric to justify his hardline stance against drug trafficking and immigration policies. This time, he mentioned Aurora, a city in Colorado, that he used as an example of the supposed decline of US public safety during President Joe Biden’s tenure. Trump suggested that Aurora was now under the control of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua.

In addition to his usual bravado, Trump surprised observers by announcing the launch of an awareness campaign against drugs. "They ruin your appearance, damage your skin, and your teeth", he asserted, without providing specific details on the campaign’s scope, cost, or implementation. Although he promised that his administration would spend "a lot of money" on it, he later clarified that this would not be "that much, comparatively."

Trump’s latest declarations echo the atmosphere of the war against drugs launched by President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, which reached its highest point of intensity in the 1980s and 1990s, marked by slogans like Nancy Reagan’s "Just say no."

Trump also voiced his concerns about Mexico, following a recent call with President Claudia Sheinbaum. He praised her as a "wonderful woman" while expressing discontent over the fentanyl issue at the US-Mexico border, which accounted for around 70,000 overdose deaths in 2023. "We’re going to stop it," the president declared. "We will not allow that."

It remains uncertain whether Sheinbaum will alter the ongoing discussion on fentanyl with the United States, as her predecessor had initially denied its production in Mexico. The US has continued insisting that demand reduction is the core of the problem.

Throughout his speech, Trump touched on multiple topics, including the recent near-shutdown of the US Government and the alleged influence of tech mogul Elon Musk on US political affairs. Speaking at a rally-like event, Trump refuted suggestions of stepping down to make way for Musk, emphasizing that the Constitution requires a US-born citizen for presidential candidacy.

Lastly, Trump waded into an otherwise dormant debate: the Panama Canal. Warning against excessive tolls and the possibility of ‘wrong hands’ controlling the crucial infrastructure, he hinted at potential Chinese influence, although China neither controls nor manages the canal.

As the 45th President of the United States prepares for his return to the White House, the nation braces for his bold new initiatives that are set to significantly shape the country’s future.

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