In a dramatic turn of events, Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of notorious Sinaloa cartel co-founder Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in federal court in Chicago. The 38-year-old was apprehended alongside Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada García, the other co-founder of the powerful organized crime group, following their arrival in a small plane in El Paso, Texas.

While El Chapo is already serving a life sentence in the US, El Mayo, evading capture for decades despite a $15 million bounty on his head, also pleaded not guilty to all charges during a court appearance last Friday. Conflicting accounts have emerged regarding the circumstances of their apprehension, with reports suggesting that Joaquín Guzmán López handed himself in, while others claim El Mayo was violently abducted.

The arrests have reignited concerns of potential violence within the Sinaloa cartel, particularly between the factions led by the Guzmán family and El Mayo. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has urged the US to provide clarity on the situation. Additionally, the heightened tension has prompted extra troop deployments to Sinaloa to prevent potential escalation and to dissuade clashes between rival criminal groups in the region.