17 of El Chapo’s Kin Surrender to U.S. at Border Amid Cartel Chaos
Seventeen relatives of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the jailed Sinaloa Cartel kingpin, reportedly turned themselves over to U.S. authorities at the San Ysidro border crossing on May 9, 2025. The group, allegedly including Guzmán’s ex-wife Griselda López Pérez, a daughter, son-in-law, grandson Archivaldo, and assorted nephews and nieces, was met by FBI agents, per Mexican journalist Luis Chaparro. This mass surrender has ignited speculation about ties to plea deal talks involving Guzmán’s son, Ovidio Guzmán López, who faces U.S. drug trafficking charges.
The Surrender: Cash, Suitcases, and Snipers
Chaparro, on his YouTube show Pie de Nota, reported the family crossed from Tijuana to San Diego at noon, hauling over $70,000 in cash and multiple suitcases. Footage allegedly shows the handover, with a sniper overseeing security. Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed the event on May 13, 2025, via radio, noting the 17 face no Mexican charges. He hinted the surrender links to Ovidio’s U.S. negotiations, possibly a plea deal. The family’s current status—protective custody or rumored U.S. residency—remains unconfirmed. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum slammed the U.S. for not informing Mexico, exposing cracks in cross-border trust.
Ovidio’s Deal and Cartel Power Plays
Ovidio Guzmán López, a “Los Chapitos” faction leader, was extradited to the U.S. in 2023 for drug trafficking and money laundering. Initially pleading not guilty, he’s set for a July 9, 2025, plea hearing in Chicago, where a guilty plea is expected as part of a deal. Court filings from May 6 suggest U.S. prosecutors may offer family protections for Ovidio’s cooperation, possibly testifying against Sinaloa co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Chaparro claims Ovidio sought U.S. residency for his mother and relatives, though U.S. officials haven’t verified this. The surrender’s timing, days after plea deal reports, suggests a calculated move to shield the family from cartel violence.
Sinaloa’s Bloody Feud
Since El Chapo’s 2017 extradition and 2019 life sentence, the Sinaloa Cartel has splintered. The “Los Chapitos”—Ovidio and brothers Iván, Jesús, and Joaquín Guzmán López—battle Zambada’s allies, fueling a brutal turf war in Sinaloa state. Over 1,200 deaths and 1,400 missing since July 2024 have left Guzmán’s kin vulnerable to rival hits, likely driving their U.S. escape. The surrender follows Joaquín Guzmán López’s July 2024 arrest with Zambada, a move some say Joaquín engineered to curry U.S. favor, further roiling the cartel.
The surrender has sparked theories, some calling it a Trump-era win against cartels, others noting its odd timing before Mexico’s judicial elections—though no evidence backs political motives. Critics decry U.S. media silence. Sheinbaum demands answers from the U.S. Department of Justice, which stays mum. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, on May 13 in California, taunted cartel leaders: “You’re now the hunted.” His words signal a relentless U.S. push, with the Trump administration labeling the cartel a terrorist group.
The surrender raises thorny issues. Unclear U.S. terms—residency or custody?—spark debate about rewarding cartel kin. Mexico’s exclusion from the operation strains bilateral ties. Experts doubt the surrender will dent drug trafficking, as new cartel bosses often rise. Ongoing Sinaloa infighting may worsen, destabilizing Mexico further.
The surrender of 17 Guzmán relatives marks a wild turn in the Sinaloa Cartel saga, tied to Ovidio’s legal maneuvering. It lays bare the brutal stakes of cartel life and U.S.-Mexico tensions. As Ovidio’s July 9 hearing nears, the deal’s full scope may unravel, shedding light on the Guzmán clan’s fate and the relentless war on drugs. For now, it’s a grim reminder of the bloodshed and betrayal driving one of the world’s deadliest criminal empires.