The Cartel Boss, the FBI, and the Small Plane: Mystery Surrounds Arrest of Notorious Mexican Drug Kingpin

The arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, the 76-year-old boss of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been shrouded in mystery since his capture in 2024. While US officials have maintained that they played no role in his arrest, new evidence suggests otherwise, casting a long shadow over the diplomatic relationship between Mexico and the United States.

The circumstances surrounding Zambada’s arrest are complex, involving a betrayal by Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of “El Chapo,” who co-founded the cartel. According to reports, López lured his father’s colleague to what he thought was a meeting with senior politicians, only to find himself in FBI handcuffs hours later on American soil.

The involvement of US intelligence agencies has long been a contentious issue, particularly given the history of CIA interference in Central America. The case is reminiscent of the CIA’s alleged turning a blind eye to cocaine trafficking by Nicaraguan Contra rebels in the 1980s.

A document seen by Pie de Nota and passed onto the Mexican government suggests that the FBI executed a “highly complex, secretive, and daring arrest” as part of “Operation Air Kings.” This revelation raises more questions than answers about the role of US operatives in Mexico.

The strain on the US-Mexico relationship is already evident, with the recent decline to renew the landmark US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade pact exacerbating tensions. The diplomatic fallout from this incident could have far-reaching consequences, particularly given the long history of military and political interference by US agencies in Central America.

Dr. Christopher Sabatini, director of the Latin America program at Chatham House, notes that “there are many details” surrounding Zambada’s arrest, which have yet to be fully revealed. López has pleaded guilty and will face sentencing, but the question remains: what exactly was the nature of his involvement with US intelligence agencies?

The Mexican government is investigating claims that the FBI was behind the capture, a revelation that could further strain relations between Washington and Mexico City. Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, has stated that the issue at hand is “whether there was a violation of sovereignty.”

For some in Mexico, recent evidence of US involvement is not surprising, given what appeared to be the seamless organization of Zambada’s arrest. A former US diplomat was recently quoted as saying that “Mexico will be embarrassed, not surprised” by revelations of US involvement in the operation.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the complex web of relationships between governments, intelligence agencies, and organized crime syndicates. As Dr. Sabatini notes, “there are many CIA, DEA, and FBI officers, agents, undercover and not undercover, crawling all over Mexico.” The question is: what exactly are they doing there?