Joaquín Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is set to plead guilty in a U.S. federal court on Monday, December 1, marking a major development in the ongoing prosecution of the Sinaloa Cartel’s leadership.
Joaquín Guzmán López, known as “El Güero”, will appear before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago, where he is expected to change his plea to guilty on drug trafficking charges. Court documents confirm that the hearing, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. before Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, has been converted into a “change of plea” session.
The decision follows more than a year of postponed hearings. Guzmán López had previously pleaded not guilty in July 2024 after being extradited to the United States. His case mirrors that of his brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, who also entered a guilty plea earlier this year, signaling a broader collapse of resistance among the so-called Chapitos, the sons of El Chapo who inherited parts of the cartel’s operations.
Prosecutors accuse Guzmán López of playing a key role in the Sinaloa Cartel’s international drug trade, particularly in the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine into the United States. His plea deal is widely interpreted as part of a negotiated settlement with federal authorities, potentially reducing a sentence that could otherwise extend for life.
The case underscores the U.S. government’s continued pursuit of cartel leaders even after El Chapo’s own conviction and life sentence in 2019. Analysts suggest that Guzmán López’s cooperation could provide valuable intelligence on cartel operations and alliances, including ties to other high-ranking figures such as Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
With Monday’s hearing, Guzmán López becomes the second of El Chapo’s sons to formally admit guilt in U.S. courts, a symbolic blow to the cartel’s dynastic leadership and a significant milestone in the fight against organized crime.
Source: OEM
