At least 17 relatives of Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, including his ex-wife Griselda López Pérez and Ovidio Guzmán’s mother, crossed into the United States on May 9 through the San Ysidro border crossing between Tijuana and San Diego, Mexican and US sources confirmed. They turned themselves in to FBI officials waiting for them at the border, carrying luggage and more than $70,000 in cash. The move is widely believed to be linked to ongoing plea negotiations involving Ovidio Guzmán López, one of El Chapo’s sons, who was extradited to the US in 2023 and recently agreed to change his guilty plea in a drug trafficking case.
Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed the family’s entry as part of the negotiation process, emphasizing that none of the relatives are wanted by Mexican authorities. Journalist Luis Chaparro reported that the family flew from Culiacán to Tijuana before crossing the border and that heightened security, including snipers, was deployed at the port of entry due to potential threats.
This development signals a possible shift within the Sinaloa Cartel’s internal dynamics, with some analysts suggesting the family’s surrender reflects efforts to protect key members amid escalating cartel violence. The relocation of El Chapo’s close family to the US under federal protection appears to be a strategic move tied to Ovidio’s cooperation with US authorities as part of his plea deal.