Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, former cartel leader, sentenced to life in prison

Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, at 76 years old, was sentenced to life in prison by a federal court in Brooklyn on July 20.

He is one of the most notorious drug traffickers in history, a former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who admitted to trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine over the decades. The sentence also includes a restitution of 15 billion dollars for the damages caused.

Zambada now finds himself in the same situation as Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, his former partner, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2019. Zambada was arrested in July 2024, and his lawyer requested that he be placed in a prison that would provide him with adequate medical care. However, prosecutors warned that these prisons might not have the necessary infrastructure to manage the security risks that Zambada presents.

His conviction could affect relations between the United States and Mexico, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing her discontent over Zambada's arrest, which took place on Mexican territory, involving American security agencies.

Zambada acknowledged that the organization he led encouraged corruption in Mexico through bribes offered to police and politicians.