News Analysis: Mexico’s dilemma — Extradite officials to U.S. or risk angering Trump

In return, the indictment alleges, Rocha Moya and other public officials helped the Chapitos traffic massive quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and crystal meth to the United States. The indictment accuses authorities of accepting bribes in exchange for protecting drug shipments and tipping off traffickers about upcoming police raids.

In one case, one of the accused is alleged to have turned over a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency informant and members of the informant’s family to the cartel, resulting in multiple deaths.

The indictment raises other questions. Did two of El Chapo’s sons who are in U.S. custody, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López, provide information to U.S. authorities that led to the charges?

And what about the possible role of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the former partner of El Chapo who pled guilty on trafficking charges in the United States but is waiting for a sentencing hearing? Did Zambada — one-time keeper of many cartel secrets — cooperate with U.S. authorities?

Joaquín Guzmán, a former leader of the Chapitos, confessed to the 2024 kidnapping of Zambada, snatching him at a meeting, flying him by private plane to the United States and handing him over to authorities.

Zambada has said that he agreed to rendezvous with Guzmán outside Culiacán, the Sinaloa state capital, because he had been told that Rocha Moya would be there. Rocha Moya has denied being at the fateful meeting where Zambada was seized.

Denver, CO – June 02: Gold nuggets from Jon Cooper’s mine outside of Hermosillo, Mexico.. (Benjamin Rasmussen / For The Times)
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U.S. officials have denied any role in the kidnapping, though Mexican authorities suspect that Washington orchestrated the abduction of the mob capo.