Who is Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, son of ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán?

After the extradition of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera to the United States in 2018, authorities and media revealed that command of part of his operations within the Sinaloa Cartel was transferred to his sons, Ovidio Guzmán, Iván Archivaldo, Jesús Alfredo and Joaquín Guzmán.

A new book, “Los Chapitos” (Aguilar, 2024), by journalist José Luis Montengro, returning to the nickname they share, suggests that the leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel passed not to Ovidio, but to Iván Archivaldo, who had contacts in Mexico and Colombia.

For him, the United States government offers a $10 million reward that leads to his arrest. Even the DEA has an email to offer information with the address [email protected]

The profile of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar by the United States Department describes that he shares leadership with his brother Jesús Alfredo within the Sinaloa Cartel and fentanyl trafficking operations.

Accusations against “Los Chapitos”

He is even accused of coordinating the trafficking of fentanyl to the United States; trafficking of fentanyl chemical precursors from China to Mexico; collect profits for the Cartel from members and associates; and coordinate the trafficking of other controlled substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and marijuana.

Additionally, to “protect the organization,” he shares responsibility for the security of Sinaloa Cartel operations by leading armed hitmen who perpetrate violence to protect and expand operations.

In recent years the four have been accused of violating drug laws in the United States, as the organization is accused of being one of the largest responsible for the flow of fentanyl into the country.

The multiple counts of which they are accused were presented by federal grand juries in New York and Illinois.

The first accusation against him came from California in 2014.

The episode

A report by the InSight Crime foundation, which is dedicated to studying the development of crime and violence, states that in 2016, Iván and Jesús were among a group of men kidnapped by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. Jalisco. Both were later released.

The internal conflict in Mexico

InSight Crime described that the “Los Chapitos” group is in an internal struggle for control of operations against the last member of the “old guard”, Ismael Zambada García, alias “El Mayo”.

The investigation published in October 2023 noted that neither of the two groups has achieved dominance to clarify who will be in charge, but it has not prevented blood from being spilled in the conflict.

The children of “El Chapo” gained strength starting in 2021, when they began to be the main producers and traffickers of fentanyl and methamphetamines to the United States, in addition to expanding their territorial control in Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Sonora and Baja California, in addition to reinforcing their income by benefiting from migrant trafficking, mining and illegal fishing.

With the capture of Ovidio in January 2023, the group suffered a “coup” that triggered violence.

Reaction to US statements

In May 2023, after being accused by the United States, in a letter sent to journalist Azucena Uresti, the brothers denied having taken control of their father’s organization or being involved in the fentanyl epidemic affecting the country. “We are not the head of the Sinaloa Cartel nor are we interested in being one,” they stated.

To then point out that this does not exist but there are “countless small and large groups” that have their base of operations in Sinaloa or are originally from Sinaloa and operate in other parts of Mexico and the world.

Regarding them, they pointed out “when they have problems with the authorities, they involve us to obtain benefits. Without having any photos, recordings or videos, they are based only on statements, not facts. It’s easy when the person you blame has no right to reply.”

They accused that people, media, companies and musicians use their names to become famous or obtain financial benefits.

The letter closes with the message “we are victims of persecution and they made us a scapegoat.”