Ovidio Guzmán’s Guilty Plea Shields Mexican Officials

Chicago, Illinois — Ovidio Guzmán López, the youngest heir of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, pleaded guilty this Friday before Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. He admitted responsibility for four felony charges related to drug trafficking, formally becoming a cooperating witness for the U.S. government.

Cooperation Agreement Delays Sentencing

Over the next six months, Guzmán López will be summoned to provide testimony aiding judicial proceedings against other key figures in organized crime. His sentencing will depend on the extent of his cooperation with authorities, who will evaluate his contributions in each court appearance as stipulated in the plea agreement.

Journalist Óscar Balderas, a security expert, stated in an interview with Milenio TV that this decision drastically alters the legal trajectory of the case. “By admitting guilt, Ovidio eliminates the possibility of a public trial,” he explained, noting that this move prevents the accused from revealing potential ties to Mexican or U.S. officials.

U.S. Retains Critical Information, Mexico Loses Access

Balderas emphasized that Guzmán López’s guilty plea cancels the prospect of a public trial, thereby shielding any connections between the cartel leader and political figures in Mexico. “Many expected ‘El Ratón’ to say, ‘I paid Governor X’ or ‘I funded so-and-so’s campaign’—but this is precisely what Ovidio is avoiding: a public trial that would expose those who enabled the Sinaloa Cartel’s rise.”

He added that the legal process now enters a “less dramatic” phase under the U.S. justice system, effectively excluding Mexico from the proceedings against “Los Chapitos.”

The expert warned of significant repercussions: “It’s a shame because all criminal intelligence regarding complicity networks—financial ties to businesses, even religious groups—will remain with the U.S. and won’t be shared with Mexico.” He blamed Mexican prosecutors for the lapse: “This loss of criminal data is the fault of local and federal prosecutors who failed to do their jobs.”

Such information, Balderas argued, could have helped locate clandestine graves, identify missing persons, and expose officials colluding with cartels. “This intelligence could have been vital for crafting strategies to curb organized crime’s reach—but now we won’t have it.” His assessment was blunt: “The U.S. doesn’t share its toys.”

Charges and Defense Statement

Guzmán López pleaded guilty to four counts involving international drug trafficking—including fentanyl—and participation in a criminal network. According to journalist Arturo Ángel, his cooperation will focus on three areas: providing assistance, supplying key intelligence, and testifying in related narcotics cases.

Jeffrey Lichtman, the defendant’s attorney, stated after the hearing that specifics of the cooperation remain undisclosed but expressed confidence in fulfilling the agreement’s terms. He also denied that family relocation was part of the deal.