Seventeen close relatives of Ovidio Guzmán López—the son of imprisoned drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán—have entered the United States in what Mexican officials believe is part of a negotiated deal between U.S. authorities and the Sinaloa Cartel.
Mexico’s Security Secretary, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed the group’s arrival on Tuesday, saying the individuals—captured on video crossing the U.S. border from Tijuana with luggage—were likely relocated under terms connected to Ovidio’s ongoing legal proceedings. Ovidio, also known as El Ratón (“The Mouse”), was extradited to the U.S. in 2023 and is one of the infamous “Los Chapitos” leading a powerful cartel faction.
Among those reportedly allowed into the U.S. were El Chapo’s former wife, Griselda López Pérez, and their daughter. While none of the 17 family members are currently under investigation by Mexican authorities, García Harfuch emphasized that their safe passage strongly suggests cooperation between Guzmán López and the U.S. Department of Justice.
“There is clear evidence that his family’s movement to the U.S. is linked to an agreement offered by the Department of Justice,” García Harfuch said in a radio interview. So far, the U.S. has not provided Mexico with any official communication regarding the matter, raising questions about transparency and cross-border cooperation.
The timing is notable. On the same day, the U.S. unsealed a sweeping indictment against two senior Sinaloa Cartel operatives, accusing them of running a fentanyl empire with shocking levels of brutality—including torturing victims with electrocution and chili peppers, and in some cases, feeding them alive to tigers.
These new charges fall under narco-terrorism laws enacted during the Trump administration, when drug cartels were designated as foreign terrorist organizations. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon issued a chilling message to cartel leaders:
“To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel: you are no longer the hunters — you are the hunted.”
The plea deal rumors surrounding Ovidio Guzmán continue to swirl, with analysts suggesting that his cooperation could shake the foundations of the cartel’s power structure.
As of now, the fate of those 17 relatives remains unclear—but their quiet entry into the U.S. may signal a dramatic shift in one of the world’s most dangerous criminal networks.
