Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that Griselda López, ex-wife of drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and mother of Ovidio Guzmán, arrived in the United States with more than a dozen members of her family.
The information was released by journalist Luis Chaparro through his outlet Pie de Nota. The journalist indicated that Griselda López—who was once directly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel—arrived in the United States with 15 relatives on May 9.
“She arrived last Friday via an international bridge to the United States,” the journalist stated, without providing further details, as he noted that the information would be presented during his program’s broadcast this Monday.
When questioned about these reports, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had no information about Griselda López’s alleged departure to the US. However, she assured that she would share the relevant information as soon as she received it.
“I asked this morning because I saw the article. There is no more information than what has appeared in the articles,” Sheinbaum stated in her morning press conference this Monday from the National Palace.
“This person (Ovidio Guzmán) was extradited by Mexico during the term of (former) President López Obrador. The United States government must also inform the Attorney General’s Office, because the Attorney General’s Office has its investigation files in Mexico,” Sheinbaum added.
Was El Chapo’s family in the US at Ovidio Guzmán’s request?
According to the information presented by Luis Chaparro this Monday, the 17 relatives of El Chapo Guzmán left Culiacán for Tijuana last Friday. Once in the border city, they entered the US through the San Isidro border crossing.
These individuals allegedly “surrendered” to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents for reasons that remain unknown. It was reported that each member of the Guzmán family was carrying two suitcases of exclusive brands.
“Between them, they were carrying more than $70,000 in cash,” explained Luis Chaparro. He added that, in addition to Griselda López, a grandson of El Chapo named “Archivaldo,” one of his daughters, and a son-in-law also surrendered.
It is presumed that the Guzmán family’s move to the US is related to agreements made in that country by Ovidio Guzmán López (son of El Chapo and Griselda López, who once led the Sinaloa Cartel faction known as Los Chapitos).
Ovidio Guzmán allegedly requested to remove his family from Jesús María, in Culiacán, Sinaloa, to the United States for permanent residency. This is part of the plea deal he is planning.
Last week, it was revealed that Ovidio Guzmán (extradited to the US in September 2023) is close to reaching an agreement to plead guilty to the drug trafficking charges he faces in the Northern District of Illinois.
With this, El Chapo’s son is expected to plead guilty at his next hearing on July 9. This despite initially denying the following charges: drug possession with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm, participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, and money laundering.
