Who is “El Mayo” Zambada, the most wanted man in Mexico who declared himself guilty of drug trafficking in a US court.

The run of the Tucanes, who has 10 million views on YouTube, continues: “The law wants to stop it, the cons will want to kill him, but nobody has succeeded, the devil appears.”

But the myth of May, which probably remains a cultural myth, He will no longer be able to boast of his great feat: that “they had never arrested them.” And much less, to declare himself guilty of drug trafficking.

And the fate will join the other founder and old ally of the Sinaloa cartel, El Chapo, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019.

Judge Brian Cogan scheduled the hearing of his sentence for January 13, 2026. He also issued a huge repair fine of US $ 15,000 million.

At a press conference after the Judicial Court, the US attorney general, PAM Bondi, said this was a “historical victory” for US authorities.

“'May' will spend the rest of his life among bars. He will die in a federal prison in the United States, where he must be,” Bondi said.

“'May was one of the most prolific and powerful drug traffickers in the world. His partner was' El Chapo'. They were co -founders of the Sinaloa cartel. They brutally murdered multiple people and flooded our country with drugs. His terror reign is over,” he added.

The history of May, the rise of trafficker to “capo of capos”, as they usually baptize it, is a pragmatism, cunning and corruption.

After a short time in which he was a furniture distributor in the streets of Culiacán, Zambada began in the 70s as a trafficker in the Guadalajara poster, a pioneer in the industry by merchanting opium, marijuana and, in the end, cocaine.

Then he worked in the Juarez poster, first as a medium command and after leader, closer and closer to Amado Carrillo, the so -called “lord of heaven.” From there it is believed that he created his network of contacts in Colombia, a country where he made great friends and cocaine -producing partners.

As other bosses were dying or falling, Zambada became more powerful. Rarely had trouble betraying an ally.

And if something differentiates it from the others is that it always maintained a low profile. There are almost almost images of him.

During his reign years he was reported, surgeries were performed to change his appearance. That had many women and children. Little else.

Decades passed from one side among the mountains of the Northwest of Mexico. It was unusual for two nights to sleep in the same place.

One of his children, Vicente Zambada Niebla, was arrested by the Mexican authorities in 2009. His diary in jail was later disclosed.

In him, and in the testimony he gave to the US authorities, Zambada Junior said that his father came to pay a million dollars in bribes per month.

That its complicity network included banks and governments. That maintained contact with the drug control administration (DEA).

May Zambada was made in myth because it has been the most concerned drug traffickers in generating a link with the community.

It has been a patron of El Alamo, its native ranchería, and other peoples of the Sinaloa region, financing their arrangements, works and celebrations.

And if it was one of the least prominence and more social roots, May was also the narco that least trafficked, because its great contribution to the operation of the Sinaloa cartel, rather than the export of narcotics, It was to create a commercial branch for money laundering managed by women from his family.

It is reported that it came to wash billions of dollars. The United States Treasury Department attributes the property of important construction, milk and services.

That is why it was the closest to politics, to the culture and the Mexican authorities.

It was also the one that can give the role of the legal world in the immense drug trafficking industry.

But if Zambada's life was marked by myth and legend, his capture, which occurred on July 25, 2024, had Hollywood dyes.

According to the report of the US authorities, Zambada appeared that day with the son of his former partner El Chapo Guzmán, Joaquín Guzmán López, before the US federal authorities.

It was a strange story: the most wanted man in Mexico until that time they presented themselves to the US authorities.

Then it was learned that Guzmán López had cheated the “May” Zambada to get on a plane in Mexico and cross the border to “visit some real estate projects.”

Once in the US, the son of the “Chapo” handed it to the authorities. At that time, US $ 15 million of Zambada rewarded.

Of course, the capture of the capo shook the structure of the Sinaloa cartel. It is estimated that so far, due to the struggle of power within the organization, some 2,000 people have died violently.

Already in the custody of the US, initially the “May” refused to accept the charges. He pointed out that he had been taken against his will to the US.

However, in recent days there was an important change: the accusatory part decided not to ask for the death penalty for the crimes of Zambada.

Then came the guilt declaration on Monday.

However, Zambada's lawyer, Frank Pérez, told reporters when he left the audience that his client was not cooperating with the US authorities and that “at all” he intends to incriminate someone.

He pointed out that the reference he made to bribed authorities has already been subject to other drug traffickers processes: “All that he said is already in other judgments, he only said what was necessary. He is not going to talk about anyone,” Pérez told reporters.

“The information of 'El Mayo' Zambada stays with 'El Mayo' Zambada,” he added.

And remember that you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and act.