A key prosecution witness testified Monday that he handed over millions of dollars in bribes intended for Mexico’s former public security chief, Genaro García Luna, but that the two did not speak directly about what the money was allegedly buying: impunity for the infamous cartel. from Sinaloa.
Former member Jesús “El Rey” Zambada testified in the García Luna drug trial in the United States four years after he catalyzed the case by airing allegations against García Luna in the trial of Sinaloa kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. García Luna was subsequently arrested; he denies the charges.
Zambada is the latest in a string of former cartel members and former law enforcement officials known to be corrupt to testify against Garcia Luna. The ex-member of the cartel echoed the descriptions of cocaine shipments by planes, trains and even submarines, with the complicity of police officers and officials under the supervision of García Luna and, according to Zambada, the leader of the federal police turned a member of the presidential cabinet.
Zambada described an arm’s length quid pro quo. He said he made payments to García Luna through an intermediary who told him the security chief would protect the cartel, which the witness’s brother, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, helped lead.
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The message transmitted: “I was going to give my brother protection. He is not going to bother him. I was going to let him continue working as before,” Jesús Zambada testified through an English interpreter.
He said he was told that when the cartel wanted friendly police commanders in various locations, Garcia Luna would help. And indeed, the cartel was able to place its preferred commanders, Zambada said.
The alleged intermediary died in 2010. Zambada did not say that he personally gave him money or obtained guarantees from García Luna.
Mexico’s Secretary of Public Safety Genaro Garcia Luna attends a news conference at a meeting of the American Police Community in Mexico City, Mexico on October 8, 2010. A key witness for the prosecution testified on 13 February 2023 that handed out millions of dollars in bribes intended for the former Mexican public security chief. (Mexico’s Secretary of Public Security, Genaro García)
In fact, Zambada said he was quick to apologize when Garcia Luna showed up earlier than expected for a $2 million meeting with the broker at a fancy Mexico City restaurant in 2006. Zambada told jurors he had cost another $3 million for a previous similar meeting. .
On both occasions, Zambada said, he gave the money to the intermediary, who met with García Luna in a private room at an upscale Mexico City restaurant called the Champs Elysées. Zambada said that at least the first time, he waited in a bar area while the discussions took place and watched as the head of security left with luggage that had been packed with cartel money.
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Garcia Luna indicated Monday that he does not plan to testify at his trial. His lawyers have not yet had their turn to present witnesses.
Lawyers have argued that the prosecution is based on unreliable criminals who are cooperating with the government to cut their own sentences or to get revenge on García Luna for trying to crack down on drug trafficking.
When questioning Zambada, defense attorney César de Castro emphasized that the witness admitted to conspiring in the cartel killings.
“That makes you responsible for these people’s deaths, right?” asked the lawyer.
“In part, yes,” Zambada replied.
Zambada was arrested in Mexico in 2008 and extradited to the United States four years later. He pleaded guilty to drug and other charges that could have sentenced him to life in prison.
He was eventually sentenced to 12 years after cooperating with the government. He is now on supervised release.
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De Castro noted that Zambada did not mention García Luna until he met several times with US prosecutors.
García Luna headed Mexico’s Federal Investigation Agency from 2001 to 2005, then served as then-President Felipe Calderón’s secretary of public security from 2006 to 2012. In the latter role, García Luna was in charge of combating drug cartels .
He moved to Miami in 2012 and became a security consultant.
If convicted, the 54-year-old could face decades in prison.
