El Chapo’s Son to Plead Guilty in U.S. Cartel Case

Illinois, USA — Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of criminal leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is set to plead guilty in a U.S. court next Monday, according to judicial documents published this Friday. The change of plea, which will take place in a federal court in Illinois, represents a dramatic turn in the legal strategy of the faction known as “Los Chapitos.”

Guzmán López had pleaded not guilty in July 2024 to charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and use of firearms within the Sinaloa Cartel. The justice system accuses him of having formed, along with his three brothers, the group that resumed and diversified the criminal activities of “El Chapo,” who was sentenced to life in prison in the United States since 2019.

The change of plea by Guzmán López to guilty intensifies the factional war within the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzmán López was detained in July 2024 after arriving in Texas on a small plane alongside Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co-founder of the cartel. Zambada claimed to have been deceived and handed over to U.S. authorities by the son of his former partner.

Following the arrest of Guzmán López, clashes between “Los Chapitos” and the Zambada faction have multiplied over total control of the drug trafficking empire.

Washington accuses the Sinaloa Cartel of being primarily responsible for introducing fentanyl into the United States, a drug that has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths in recent years, a topic that has strained bilateral relations.

The Guzmán Family Under U.S. Protection

The decision by Guzmán López to plead guilty to reach an agreement with U.S. authorities could add him to the list of drug traffickers who offer information in exchange for a reduced sentence.

This strategy appears to be coordinated within the family. Ovidio Guzmán, another of El Chapo’s sons, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in the United States in July of this year and was moved to a secret location. “El Ratón” will learn his sentence in January of next year. Prior to this move, at least 17 members of Ovidio’s family surrendered to U.S. authorities.