Veteran Mexican drug cartel chief pleads not guilty in New York.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a long-standing and influential leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, pleaded not guilty on Friday to a 17-count indictment in New York. The charges include narcotics trafficking and murder.

Zambada participated in the proceedings through a Spanish-language interpreter. He mostly remained silent, responding briefly to a judge’s routine questions about his understanding of the court process and his well-being, stating he felt “fine.” His lawyers entered the not-guilty plea for him. As he listened to the translator, Zambada sat quietly. After the court session ended, he needed some help getting out of his chair but walked out on his own, albeit slowly.

Zambada has been wanted by U.S. law enforcement for over 20 years and has been in U.S. custody since July 25. He arrived in a private plane at an airport near El Paso, Texas, alongside another wanted drug lord, Joaquín Guzmán López, as reported by federal officials.

Zambada claimed in a letter that he was forcibly taken from Mexico to the U.S. by Guzmán López, who is the son of the imprisoned Sinaloa co-founder, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

Prosecutors in Brooklyn have requested that the judge keep Zambada detained without bail while he waits for his trial. If found guilty on all charges, the 76-year-old Zambada could face a life sentence in prison and may even be eligible for the death penalty.

In their letter to the judge, prosecutors described Zambada as “one of the world’s most notorious and dangerous drug traffickers.” They noted that he had an extensive collection of military-grade weapons to protect himself, his drugs, and his criminal operations. His armed security forces served as bodyguards and provided protection for drug shipments throughout Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and beyond. Furthermore, Zambada employed “sicarios,” or hitmen, who committed brutal murders and kidnappings to maintain order in his organization, fend off rivals, and intimidate those who might cooperate with law enforcement.

Prosecutors revealed that Zambada had even ordered the murder of his own nephew just months ago.

Previously, Zambada had pleaded not guilty to similar charges during an earlier court appearance in Texas.

His unexpected arrest has sparked violent conflicts in Mexico between rival groups within the Sinaloa cartel, resulting in several fatalities. Schools and businesses in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa, have been forced to close due to the violence. These clashes are believed to involve factions supporting Zambada and those led by the other sons of “El Chapo” Guzmán, who was convicted of drug and conspiracy crimes and sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. in 2019.

It is still unclear why Guzmán López chose to surrender to U.S. authorities and bring Zambada along. Guzmán López is also facing charges on a separate drug trafficking indictment in Chicago, where he has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other allegations in federal court.