Mexico accuses US FBI of violating sovereignty in capture of drug lord “El Mayo” Zambada
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and President Claudia Sheinbaum say the FBI was involved in the July 2024 arrest and transfer of drug trafficker Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to the United States, alleging breaches of Mexican constitutional and international law. The claim includes accusations that a secret agreement was made without Mexican authorization, that former US ambassador Ken Salazar gave false statements, and that the FBI publicly displayed the aircraft used in the operation. Mexico has lodged 13 diplomatic requests to the US Department of Justice and the FBI for clarification, but says it has received only inaccurate or incomplete information.
The FGR reports that 32 investigations are underway, with 153 witnesses interviewed and over a thousand reports filed. Related cases include the murder of former Sinaloa University rector Héctor Melesio Cuén and the disappearance of two of Zambada’s bodyguards. US officials maintain the operation was a cartel‑to‑cartel matter and deny any FBI involvement. Mexico plans to seek further answers, possibly raising the issue with President Joe Biden and discussing the pilot’s extradition, while also questioning the role of US diplomatic personnel in the affair.