Chicago: Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, pleaded guilty Monday in a Chicago court to drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise charges. This plea reverses his original not guilty stance following his July 2024 arrest in Texas.

Under a plea agreement reviewed by AFP, prosecutors have agreed that the judge may forego imposing a mandatory life sentence depending on the extent of Guzman Lopez’s cooperation. The defendant acknowledged that sentencing discretion rests solely with the court. Additionally, he must pay $80 million, representing the proceeds from his crimes.

Another son, Ovidio Guzman, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy and activities related to a criminal enterprise, acknowledging that he and his brothers, collectively called "Los Chapitos," took over leadership of their father’s cartel.

El Chapo, aged 68, is serving a life sentence in a high-security federal prison in Colorado after his 2016 arrest and 2019 conviction.

Court documents indicate Guzman Lopez participated in shipping extensive quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana from Mexico to the United States.

After his initial arrest upon arrival in Texas with co-founder Ismael "Mayo" Zambada, intense factional clashes erupted within the cartel, resulting in roughly 1,200 deaths and 1,400 disappearances.

The Sinaloa cartel is accused by the US government of trafficking fentanyl, which has caused tens of thousands of overdose deaths and strained US-Mexico relations. The Trump administration designated the cartel as a global terrorist organisation, imposed sanctions against "Los Chapitos," and increased capture rewards to $10 million per fugitive brother.

Two other Guzman sons, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo, remain indicted on drug charges in the US but are still at large.

With inputs from AFP