Relatives of Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Enter U.S. Amid Reported Legal Negotiations

Mexico’s security secretary announced on Tuesday evening that a group of relatives connected to leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel entered the United States last week, likely linked to an agreement involving U.S. federal authorities.

Earlier reports had circulated that 17 family members, including the former spouse of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, traveled from a cartel-controlled area to Tijuana before crossing the border into the U.S. It was reported that these individuals voluntarily surrendered to U.S. federal agents upon arrival.

The Sinaloa Cartel, co-founded by El Chapo, remains one of the most influential criminal organizations globally, despite internal conflicts and ongoing legal actions against several of its top leaders in the United States.

Mexico City’s Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, when questioned about the border crossing on Monday, stated that no additional details were available beyond what had been publicly reported.

However, Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s security secretary, later confirmed that relatives of Ovidio Guzmán López—one of El Chapo’s sons who was extradited to the U.S. in 2023—had indeed surrendered to American authorities.

García Harfuch indicated that the family members’ move into the U.S. is evidently part of a negotiation or plea agreement being extended by the U.S. Department of Justice.