By Edith Loyola 
New York.– On Friday, in a New York courtroom, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of the founders of the Sinaloa Cartel, entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him.
During his initial appearance in New York, the Mexican drug lord answered “yes” or “no” to questions posed by Judge James R. Cho. The judge read out the 17 charges Zambada faces, which could potentially result in a life sentence.
Additionally, it was reported that although New York law requires a trial to start within seventy days of the defendant’s first appearance, Judge Cho made an exception for “El Mayo.” Given the case’s high complexity and the large volume of documents to review, the judge determined that the trial would commence on October 31.
Regarding the drug lord, Brooklyn federal prosecutor Francisco Navarro described him as “one of the most dangerous drug traffickers in the world.”
“Mr. Zambada has been, and may continue to be, one of the largest and most dangerous drug traffickers globally, involved in drug trafficking and violent activities through his criminal enterprise, including bribery, torture, and murder of civilians and rival cartel members,” stated the prosecutor.
It is worth noting that “El Mayo” was arrested on July 25 in New Mexico during a joint operation by the DEA and FBI. He was apprehended after landing in a plane with Joaquín Guzmán López, one of “El Chapo’s” sons, who was also arrested.
This operation remains shrouded in mystery and rumors of betrayal that have yet to be clarified. Even “El Mayo” himself described the event as an ambush in a letter written from prison.