Sheinbaum blames US arrest of El Mayo for surge in Sinaloa cartel violence

President Claudia Sheinbaum said the U.S. Department of Justice made a unilateral agreement with a faction of the Sinaloa cartel to capture drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. She argued that the operation, carried out without informing Mexican authorities, caused a betrayal within the cartel, sparking fierce internal fighting that has intensified homicide rates across Sinaloa and neighboring states.

Sheinbaum condemned the action as a violation of Mexican sovereignty and demanded that U.S. agencies cooperate through legal channels and respect Mexico’s jurisdiction. Senators and other officials echoed the accusation, calling for investigations into the role of the FBI, DEA and other U.S. bodies. The president also urged the United States to coordinate future security efforts with Mexican prosecutors and state governments rather than acting unilaterally.