El Chapo's Son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, to Plead Guilty to US Drug Trafficking Charges in Chicago Court

El Chapo's Son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, to Plead Guilty in US Drug Trafficking Case

A significant development in the ongoing saga of Mexico's most infamous drug cartel families is set to unfold as Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of the notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, prepares to change his plea to guilty on narcotics trafficking charges in a US federal court.

This anticipated shift in plea, scheduled for next week in Chicago, marks another chapter in the legal battles facing the "Los Chapitos" — the collective name for El Chapo's sons who allegedly took over parts of the Sinaloa cartel after their father's 2016 arrest.

Plea Deal Speculation and Prior Arrest

Initially, Guzman Lopez pleaded not guilty following his July 2024 arrest in Texas. However, recently released federal documents confirm his intention to alter this plea during a hearing at the US District Court in Chicago on Monday. This move has sparked widespread speculation regarding potential negotiations between Guzman Lopez and US authorities, especially given reports that federal prosecutors will no longer seek the death penalty for him.

This isn't the first time an "El Chapo" son has faced justice in the US. Another brother, Ovidio Guzman, entered a guilty plea in July 2025 to drug trafficking conspiracy and involvement in a criminal enterprise. Ovidio had also acknowledged that he and his brothers assumed control of their father's sprawling criminal empire following his incarceration.

Sinaloa Cartel's Fentanyl Reach and Internal Strife

The Sinaloa cartel, a formidable force in international drug trafficking, has been under intense scrutiny, particularly for its role in the fentanyl crisis plaguing the United States. US officials accuse the cartel of funneling the deadly synthetic drug into the country, contributing to tens of thousands of overdose deaths and straining US-Mexico relations. Former President Donald Trump notably designated the cartel as a global terrorist organization.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez's arrest last year in Texas was a dramatic event, reportedly involving the co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael "Mayo" Zambada. Zambada, who was also taken into custody, later claimed he was abducted by Guzman Lopez and handed over to US authorities against his will. This incident further exacerbated already tense relations and sparked violent clashes within the cartel itself. The resulting infighting between the "Los Chapitos" faction and Zambada's loyalists led to a grim toll of approximately 1,200 deaths and 1,400 disappearances across Mexico, according to official figures.

Fugitives and El Chapo's Imprisonment

Meanwhile, two other "Chapitos" brothers, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, remain at large despite being indicted on drug trafficking charges in the US. Washington has increased the reward for their capture to $10 million each and announced additional sanctions against them in June for fentanyl trafficking. Their father, "El Chapo," 68, continues to serve a life sentence in a supermax federal prison in Colorado, a stark reminder of the long arm of justice.

The impending guilty plea of Joaquin Guzman Lopez signifies a pivotal moment, potentially ushering in a "new chapter in the history of drug trafficking," as one Mexican broadcaster suggested, and raising further questions about the future dynamics of the Sinaloa cartel and its leadership.