El Chapo's Son Ovidio Plans Guilty Plea in US Drug Trafficking Cases

Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, plans to plead guilty to multiple federal charges in the United States, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms offenses. He was extradited from Mexico in 2023 and faces indictments in several U.S. jurisdictions, including Chicago and New York, where he is recognized as a leader of the Sinaloa cartel's fentanyl operations. This plea deal, expected to be formalized in a July 9 court hearing, marks a significant development in the U.S. crackdown on transnational drug trafficking, and Ovidio would be the first among the Guzman brothers to admit guilt. His brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, remains in U.S. custody and has pleaded not guilty to similar charges. The arrests of the Guzman brothers and longtime Sinaloa leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada have triggered violent clashes between cartel factions in northern Mexico, highlighting the cartel's ongoing influence and internal conflicts. Neither Guzman’s attorney nor federal prosecutors have publicly commented on the plea deal details.