Mass Defection Shocks Sinaloa Cartel—Ex-Wife, Daughter, and Grandson of Drug Lord Turn Themselves In Amid Reports of U.S. Plea Deal and Permanent Residency Request
In a significant development intensifying pressure on the Sinaloa Cartel, 17 family members of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, including his ex-wife Griselda López Pérez, surrendered to U.S. federal agents at the San Ysidro border crossing last Friday, Mexican media and journalist Luis Chaparro reported.
The group—believed to include López Pérez (mother of Ovidio Guzmán López), a daughter, her husband, a grandson, and several other close relatives—was seen carrying luggage at the border between Tijuana and San Diego, where they allegedly turned themselves in to the FBI. According to Chaparro, each carried at least two suitcases, and together the group brought about $70,000 in cash.
Their arrival came just days after court records revealed that Ovidio Guzmán, a key leader of the cartel faction Los Chapitos, had reached a plea agreement with U.S. prosecutors and is expected to plead guilty to multiple drug trafficking charges. His next court hearing is scheduled for July 9 in Chicago, where he is anticipated to formally accept a reduced sentence in exchange for cooperation, which may include testifying against other cartel members.
Footage and eyewitness reports described a tight security presence during the family’s handover, including the deployment of a sniper, likely to guard against potential attacks from rival cartel factions.
According to Chaparro, the family had fled Culiacán, Sinaloa’s capital, and traveled north to seek refuge in the United States, potentially as part of a negotiated deal linked to Ovidio’s cooperation with U.S. authorities. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the 17 individuals could receive permanent residency cards as part of the arrangement. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, however, stated she had no official information regarding such a deal and reiterated that any agreement would need to be communicated to Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office.
The surrender further weakens the operational leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been fractured since El Chapo’s 2017 extradition to the U.S., where he is currently serving a life sentence. His sons—Ovidio, Joaquín Jr., and others—took over much of the cartel’s business, primarily in the synthetic drug trade, including fentanyl distribution to the U.S.
Tensions within the cartel have escalated, particularly between Los Chapitos and the rival faction La Mayiza, led by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s son, El Mayito Flaco, following high-profile arrests and increasing U.S. pressure.
If confirmed, the relocation of El Chapo’s family to the U.S. could signal a major turning point in the cartel’s downfall and suggests a deeper level of collaboration between the Guzmán family and American authorities.
