Department of Justice states that death penalty will not be sought for key Mexican cartel leaders in upcoming trials.
Federal prosecutors have announced that they will not pursue the death penalty against three prominent Mexican cartel leaders, including Rafael Caro Quintero, who is infamously referred to as the “Narco of Narcos.” Caro Quintero and his co-defendants are currently facing trial in Brooklyn, where they are charged with serious crimes, including the alleged orchestrating of the torture and murder of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. The announcement was made in a letter submitted to Judge Frederic Block of the Brooklyn Federal Court on Tuesday.
In a similar vein, prosecutors also indicated that they would not seek the death penalty for Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a high-ranking figure in the Sinaloa cartel, and Vicente “The Viceroy” Carrillo Fuentes, a leader of the Juarez cartel. Although the letters sent to the court did not elaborate on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s rationale for this decision, it represents a significant development in each case.
It is worth noting that under Mexican law, extradition of its citizens typically necessitates that the death penalty be off the table. Initially, in March, U.S. prosecutors indicated that it was a possibility for Caro Quintero. However, the recent decision marks a departure from that stance. Caro Quintero gained notoriety as one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives and was apprehended in Mexico during a dramatic operation in 2022.
The decision not to pursue capital punishment aligns with a broader framework of legal negotiations and international relations, as Mexican authorities expelled Caro Quintero, Carrillo Fuentes, and 27 other cartel associates to the United States earlier this year. This action was largely perceived as a cooperative effort to mitigate threats from the previous U.S. administration regarding potential tariffs on Mexican imports.
The Department of Justice previously indicated that the decision to evaluate the death penalty for various cartel figures would hinge upon a Trump executive order from January 30. Officials from the Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment regarding the recent developments.
Elizabeth Macedonio, Caro Quintero’s attorney, expressed agreement with the attorney general’s decision, emphasizing the aim to expeditiously resolve the case for the benefit of all involved parties. Caro Quintero is notably accused of orchestrating the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kike” Camarena, an incident that fueled intense media coverage and public outrage, including portrayal in the acclaimed Netflix series “Narcos.”
Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa cartel, was apprehended in July 2024, under circumstances that have triggered speculation about potential treason charges in Mexico, complicating the international narrative surrounding these high-profile drug trafficking figures.
