Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, asserted in his memoir that former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was concerned about the information Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada might provide to U.S. authorities after his capture in July 2024.
According to Salazar, a businessman close to the then-president told him that López Obrador was uneasy about the possibility that the Sinaloa Cartel founder would reveal information related to Mexican public officials during the U.S. investigations.
The former diplomat notes that “El Mayo’s” capture took even U.S. officials by surprise and maintains that, after this event and his criticism of the judicial reform promoted by the Mexican government, the relationship with López Obrador deteriorated considerably.
Salazar also maintains that there was concern about the influence of organized crime within public institutions and warned that a vulnerable judicial system could facilitate greater infiltration by criminal groups.
The statements are part of the book “The Borders: My Struggle for an Inclusive US,” which will be published in July and in which the former ambassador shares experiences and episodes from his diplomatic management in Mexico.
Source: OEM
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