Son of ‘El Chapo’ May Avoid Death Penalty Under Deal With U.S. Authorities

‘El Güero’ avoids the death penalty.

Guzmán López’s hearing postponed.

Ovidio Guzmán seeks family protection.

New information has emerged, according to a recent court filing, about Joaquín Guzmán López, known as ‘El Güero’.

The son of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias ‘El Chapo’, is reported to have reached an agreement with U.S. authorities to avoid the death penalty.

The document reveals that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, through prosecutor Andrew S. Boutros of the Northern District of Illinois, has notified Guzmán López that, if found guilty, a death sentence will not be sought.

Guzmán López’s hearing, which has been postponed several times since his capture in July 2024 alongside ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García, is scheduled for next week.

‘El Güero’ Avoids the Death Penalty

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U.S. judges will not seek the death penalty against Joaquín Guzmán López, son of «El Chapo» Guzmán, once he is “found guilty” of drug trafficking. pic.twitter.com/i3eg8u0hph

— adn40 (@adn40) May 27, 2025

He faces multiple charges, including fentanyl trafficking and directing criminal operations for the Sinaloa Cartel, according to El Financiero.

He is also accused of managing 11 methamphetamine laboratories in Sinaloa and trafficking illicit substances into the United States.

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The delay in the hearing is due to his attempt to reach an agreement with U.S. authorities to become a protected witness, following in the footsteps of his brother Ovidio Guzmán López, alias ‘El Ratón’.

Ovidio Guzmán recently pleaded guilty to drug-related charges in a U.S. court as part of a deal in which he requested protection for his family in the United States.

Struggle for Control

?The U.S. Attorney’s Office informed the Chicago, Illinois court that it will not seek the death penalty against Joaquín Guzmán López, ?son of “El Chapo” Guzmán, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.? pic.twitter.com/1ezowxaqiw

— LuisCardenasMX (@LuisCardenasMx) May 27, 2025

This move comes amid a tense context in which factions such as ‘Los Chapitos’ and ‘La Mayiza’ are fighting for control of the former Sinaloa Cartel empire.

The U.S. Department of State confirmed that 17 relatives of Ovidio Guzmán, including his mother, crossed into the United States via the San Ysidro border bridge in Baja California.

They are seeking protection while the internal dispute between cartel factions continues in Sinaloa.

This development marks a crucial chapter in the saga of the Guzmán family within the framework of international drug trafficking. It reflects the complex deals and power struggles that define the world of organized crime in Mexico and beyond.