Mexican President Criticizes U.S. Prosecutors Over Lack of Coordination in Plea Deal for 'El Chapo's' Son

After news broke that Ovidio Guzmán López's drug trafficking and money laundering case was closed in New York ahead of his expected guilty plea at a federal court in Chicago, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized U.S. prosecutors for excluding Mexico from the negotiating process.

In a press conference, Sheinbaum condemned the lack of coordination with Mexican authorities and called for stronger communication between the two governments.

"Of course, we fight organized crime and criminal groups, but this is an extradition case," Sheinbaum said. "At the very least, there should be coordination and information sharing with the attorney general's office."

The Mexican president also doubled down on comments she made in May, arguing that recent actions by U.S. prosecutors contradict earlier statements from the U.S. government.

A few weeks ago, Sheinbaum demanded an explanation for why prosecutors have negotiated plea deals with members of drug cartels recently designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations.

"We must emphasize something very important: The United States government recently issued a decree labeling some organized crime groups as terrorist organizations," she said at the time. "They have repeatedly stated that they do not negotiate with these groups, so they need to explain why, in these cases, agreements are being made."

In another passage of the press conference, Sheinbaum also reminded reporters that Guzmán López was arrested by Mexican armed forces during a military operation that resulted in the deaths of 10 soldiers.

"Let me be clear, we are not defending anyone. That is not what this is about, because we have to remember how the conflict in Sinaloa began," she said. "That's why this is important for our country."

According to court documents unsealed this week, Guzmán López — the son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán — plans to plead guilty at a hearing scheduled for July 9 at 11 a.m. in Chicago.

Since his extradition to the United States in September 2023, "El Ratón" and his legal team have reportedly worked with U.S. prosecutors on a deal that could reduce his sentence and provide protection for some family members in exchange for intelligence on rival cartels — including the La Mayiza faction, which has been involved in turf wars with Los Chapitos since September 2024.

Guzmán López is considered a key figure in the Los Chapitos faction following his father's 2016 arrest. He allegedly oversaw the group's fentanyl production and trafficking operations until his capture in Culiacán, Sinaloa, in January 2023.

He is expected to plead guilty to five charges in Chicago, including drug trafficking and money laundering.

Meanwhile, his brother, Joaquín Guzmán López, is expected to return to court on July 15 for a case status hearing. Like Ovidio, Joaquín has reportedly been in plea negotiations and is believed to have cooperated with U.S. authorities — including by helping facilitate the handover of Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada García in July 2024.