Mexico announced Thursday that it has evidence of FBI participation in the capture and transfer of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García to the United States, an action that constitutes a violation of Mexican and international law.
Mexican Attorney General’s Office head Ernestina Godoy Ramos detailed during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s press conference what she called “three grave situations“: violations of national and international regulations, an illegal pact and false statements by former U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar.
“We are facing a transgression of the fundamental principle of good faith in diplomatic relations as established in international treaties”, Godoy stated before the media.
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The Attorney General recalled that on August 9, 2024, Salazar denied any U.S. agency involvement in the operation, claiming instead that “it was not a U.S. aircraft, nor its pilot, nor its agents or personnel in Mexico, but rather an operation between cartels.”
However, Sheinbaum confirmed that the FBI itself exhibited the aircraft used in the operation at the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The Mexican consulate directly verified the presence of the aircraft at the venue, displayed publicly as a “triumph” in the war on drugs.
“They have a plane exhibited as their triumph, as their public operation. What agreements did that agency, or those who participated, have with this criminal group?“, Sheinbaum questioned.
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The aircraft display at the museum -located near the U.S.-Mexico border in southern New Mexico- effectively served as public acknowledgment of FBI involvement, contradicting previous statements from U.S. diplomatic officials.
Embassy Deception Exposed
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Mexico has sent 13 diplomatic reminders to the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI without receiving a substantive response regarding the operation to capture and transfer Zambada. Godoy revealed that both agencies “have provided false or inaccurate data.”
Since July 25, 2024, the Attorney General’s Office has opened seven investigation files covering the homicide of Héctor Melesio Cuén, former rector of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, and the disappearance of two of Zambada’s bodyguards. Investigators have conducted 153 interviews, produced 1,288 reports, and completed 124 expert opinions.
Mexico has requested the extradition of “El Mayo” Zambada, but the Department of Justice notified that it cannot comply because he is being prosecuted in a U.S. district court. In Mexican territory, there are 32 active investigations against the drug trafficker with outstanding arrest warrants.
Sheinbaum characterized the uncoordinated action as an act of territorial interference and warned that if unilateral FBI participation on Mexican soil is confirmed, it would constitute a direct violation of the Constitution and international treaties.
“Every ambassador enjoys diplomatic immunity, but that does not mean we will not uphold the dignity of Mexico. It is very relevant if a United States ambassador lied to the government. We cannot be deliberately lied to”, the Mexican President emphasized.
Sheinbaum instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally request the corresponding information from the FBI and announced that current U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson will be questioned regarding the public exhibition of the aircraft used in the operation.
The case has reignited longstanding tensions over sovereignty and the conduct of U.S. law enforcement agencies operating in Mexico.
Sheinbaum’s administration has taken a firm stance against any foreign intervention in national territory, framing the incident as part of a broader pattern of disregard for Mexican law by Washington. The President has insisted that bilateral cooperation against organized crime must be conducted with full respect for Mexico’s legal framework and territorial integrity, warning that clandestine operations undermine trust and complicate joint security efforts.
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