El Chapo’s son to plead guilty in US drug case
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of the four sons of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is set to plead guilty next week in a US federal court, according to newly released court documents. He had initially pleaded not guilty after being arrested in Texas in July 2024.
The hearing is scheduled for Monday at the US District Court in Chicago. His change of plea comes as US prosecutors signal they will not pursue the death penalty, with local media reporting that a plea deal is being discussed, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
Guzman Lopez is part of “Los Chapitos”, the faction of the Sinaloa cartel led by El Chapo’s sons. Another brother, Ovidio Guzman, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy and criminal enterprise charges as part of an agreement for a reduced sentence. He admitted that he and his brothers took over their father’s operations after El Chapo’s 2016 arrest.
Mexican media say the upcoming plea could mark a new chapter in the long-running battle against the cartel. US authorities have intensified pressure on the group, accusing it of driving fentanyl trafficking that has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths.
Guzman Lopez was detained after landing in Texas on a small private jet alongside cartel cofounder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. Zambada claimed he was deceived about the flight’s destination and forcibly handed over to US authorities.
The arrests deepened internal divisions within the Sinaloa cartel, fueling violent clashes between the Chapitos faction and forces loyal to Zambada. The infighting has left more than 1,000 dead and over 1,400 missing in Mexico, according to official figures.
Two other Chapitos brothers, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, remain fugitives. Washington increased the reward for their capture to $10 million each as part of expanded sanctions announced in June.
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