Lawyer releases testimony of trafficker (full text)

Ismael The May Zambada, one of the drug traffickers considered historical among the Mexican cartels, who was captured on July 25 by United States authorities, said that was ambushed when he was expecting to meet with Rubén Rocha Moya, governor of Sinaloa; Héctor Melesio Cuén Ojeda, a politician and former rector of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa – assassinated that same day – and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán, according to a statement released by his lawyer.

The litigator Frank Pérez published a text that he claims is A statement on behalf of Ismael Zambadawithout explaining whether it is a testimony dictated by the capo or if his words were paraphrased.

The content of the document coincides with what was stated on Friday by Ken Salazar, the United States ambassador to Mexico, who said that Joaquín Guzmán López voluntarily surrendered to the government of his country, and that “the evidence at the time of arrival indicates that Ismael The May Zambada was taken against his will.”

The statement says that the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel did not surrender or arrive voluntarily, and does not have an agreement with the US government.

In the same text, The May made a I call on the people of Sinaloa to use restraint and maintain peace in our state. Nothing can be solved with violence. We have been down that road before and everyone loses.mentions: “Joaquín Guzmán López asked me to attend a meeting to help resolve differences between the political leaders of our state.

The statement, which also does not mention whether it was delivered to the US justice system, states that The May came to the ranch and event center called Huertos del Pedregal, on the outskirts of Culiacánwhere he arrived accompanied by four bodyguards, including José Rosario Heras López, commander of the Sinaloa State Judicial Police, and Rodolfo Chaidez, a long-time member of my security team.

According to this, Guzmán López, whom he said he had known “since he was a child, gestured for me to follow him. Trusting the nature of the meeting and the people involved, I followed without hesitation. I was taken to another room that was dark.

“As soon as I set foot inside that room, I was ambushed. A group of men assaulted me, threw me to the ground and placed a hood over my head. They tied me up and handcuffed me, then forced me to lie on the floor of a van.

“Throughout this ordeal I was subjected to physical abuse, resulting in significant injuries to my back, knee and wrists.

“They then took me to a landing strip about 20 or 25 minutes away, where they forced me to board a private plane.

“Joaquin took the rag off my head and tied me to the seat. No one else was on board the plane except Joaquin, the pilot and me.

The flight lasted between two and a half and three hours, with no stops until we arrived in El Paso, Texas. It was there on the tarmac that U.S. federal agents took custody of me and them..

Regarding Héctor Melesio Cuén –politician and former rector of the UAS–, Zambada rejected the official version that was shot on the night of July 25 at a gas station by two men riding a motorcycle who wanted to steal his truck. That’s not what happened.

According to the document, the former rector of the UAS He was killed at the same time and in the same place where I was kidnapped.and points out that the same thing happened with the commander of the state Judicial Police José Rosario Heras López and Rodolfo Chaidez.

Zambada will face at least 17 charges in federal court in the Eastern District of New York, where he has also been tried. El Chapo Guzmán and former federal Public Security Secretary Genaro García Luna.

The letter released:

STATEMENT BY ISMAEL ZAMBADA GARCÍA

Since I was flown to the United States from Mexico on July 25, 2024, there have been many inaccurate reports in the media of both countries. In this statement I will provide the true facts of what happened that day. I wish to say from the outset that I did not surrender and did not come to the United States voluntarily. Nor did I have any agreement with either government. On the contrary, I was kidnapped and brought to the United States by force and against my will. Below is a detail of how it happened.

Joaquín Guzmán López asked me to attend a meeting to help resolve differences between the political leaders of our state. He was aware of an ongoing dispute between Rubén Rocha Moya, Governor of Sinaloa, and Héctor Melesio Cuen Ojeda, former federal deputy, mayor of Culiacán, and rector of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS), over who should lead that institution. I was informed that in addition to Héctor Cuen and Governor Rocha Moya, Iván Guzmán Salazar would also be present at the meeting.

On July 25, I went to the ranch and event center called Huertos del Pedregal, outside Culiacán, where the meeting was to take place. The meeting was scheduled for 11:00 a.m., and I arrived a little early. I saw a large number of armed men in green military uniforms whom I assumed were gunmen for Joaquín Guzmán and his brothers. I was accompanied by four security personnel, two of whom stayed outside the perimeter. The two who went in with me were José Rosario Heras López, commander of the Judicial Police of the State of Sinaloa, and Rodolfo Chaidez, a long-time member of my security team.

As I walked toward the meeting area, I saw Hector Cuen and one of his assistants. I greeted them briefly before entering a room with a table full of fruit. I saw Joaquin Guzman Lopez, whom I have known since I was a child, and he gestured for me to follow him. Trusting the nature of the meeting and the people involved, I followed without hesitation. I was led into another room that was dark.

As soon as I set foot inside that room, I was ambushed. A group of men assaulted me, threw me to the ground, and placed a dark-colored hood over my head. I was tied up and handcuffed, then forced into the back of a pickup truck. Throughout this ordeal, I was subjected to physical abuse, which caused significant injuries to my back, knee, and wrists. I was then taken to a landing strip about 20 to 25 minutes away, where I was forced onto a private plane. Joaquín removed the hood from my head and zip-tied me to the seat. There was no one on the plane but Joaquín, the pilot, and me.

The flight lasted between 2 ½ and 3 hours, non-stop, until we arrived in El Paso, Texas. It was there, on the tarmac, that I was detained by U.S. federal agents. The idea that I surrendered or cooperated voluntarily is completely and unequivocally false. I was brought to this country by force and under duress, without my consent and against my will.

I know that the official version given by the authorities of the state of Sinaloa is that Hector Cuen was shot on the night of July 25 at a gas station by two men on a motorcycle who wanted to steal his truck. That is not what happened. He was killed at the same time and in the same place where I was kidnapped. Hector Cuen was a long-time friend of mine, and I deeply regret his death, as well as the disappearance of Jose Rosario Heras Lopez and Rodolfo Chaidez, who have not been seen or heard from since.

I think it is important that the truth be known. This is what happened and not the false stories that are circulating. I call on the governments of Mexico and the United States to be transparent and provide the truth about my kidnapping in the United States and about the deaths of Hector Cuen, Rosario Heras, Rodolfo Chaidez and any other person who lost their lives that day.

I also call on the people of Sinaloa to exercise restraint and to maintain peace in our state. Nothing is resolved with violence. We have already been down that road and we all lose.

-Ismael Mayo Zambada