It Wasn't Our Operation, Says Former US Ambassador

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar has clarified that a recent operation was not conducted by the United States, directly addressing questions raised by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo about his previous statements. Salazar stated that he communicated to the Mexican federal government that the operation was not American.

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The president Claudia Sheinbaum has asked: Who told the truth? Let me answer clearly: Attorney General Merrick Garland and I communicated to the Mexican government, both in our public statements and on July 25 and 26, 2024, the detentions of Ismael Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán.

In a social media post, Salazar asserted that both he and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland had informed the Mexican government about the detentions of Ismael Zambada García, also known as "El Mayo," and Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of "El Chapo." Salazar emphasized, "We communicated to the Mexican government that it was not our plane, nor our pilot, nor our operation. The truth is the truth."

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We communicated to the Mexican government that it was not our plane, nor our pilot, nor our operation. The truth is the truth.

Salazar defended the U.S. position in an interview, reiterating that the U.S. was not involved in Zambada's detention. He pointed to the fact that the plane used in the transfer is now on display in a museum in New Mexico as evidence of its U.S. confiscation. The ambassador's statements aim to resolve discrepancies and confirm the U.S. government's stance on the matter.

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I defended that the U.S. had nothing to do with Zambada's detention and alleged that if the plane in which the transfer was made is being exhibited in a museum in New Mexico, it is 'because it is on this side, it is confiscated'.