Overview

• Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to major narcotics charges, accepted a $15 billion forfeiture order and faces a potential life sentence, with no cooperation agreement and sentencing set for January 13, 2026.
• Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico will request any resources the United States seizes from Zambada to compensate victims through the asset-return agency, while officials noted the $15 billion figure is a U.S. Justice Department calculation.
• Omar García Harfuch said the Sinaloa cartel is not finished because it operates through multiple leaders and cells, and he dismissed claims of an alliance between “Los Chapitos” and the CJNG.
• Sheinbaum and García Harfuch reported no current evidence that federal or military officials were bribed by Zambada, saying documented cases have largely involved municipal and state police.
• Official data show steep first‑half 2025 spikes in Sinaloa crime linked to internal cartel fighting, including a 276% jump in vehicle theft, 108% in business robberies and a 266% rise in homicides, with Culiacán identified as a focal point despite federal deployments.