Griselda López, exesposa de Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, has re-emerged as a significant figure within the Sinaloa Cartel due to her recent relocation to the United States with 17 family members. This event, which took place on May 9, 2025, at the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, is regarded by analysts as a “negotiated transfer” with U.S. authorities.
Reporters revealed that Griselda and her family were met by FBI agents upon arrival, suggesting that this move is connected to ongoing negotiations involving her son, Ovidio Guzmán. Ovidio is currently in discussions with the U.S. Department of Justice following his capture in 2023, and this family’s relocation appears to be part of a broader deal.
Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, acknowledged the movement of Griselda’s family and linked it to the trial of Ovidio’s leadership within the Sinaloa Cartel. Experts in public safety, such as David Saucedo, propose that Griselda could face renewed investigations by U.S. authorities like the DEA, especially considering her complicated history with drug trafficking.
López has tried to cultivate an image of a protective mother, especially after the violent death of her son, Édgar, in 2008. Following this tragic event, she opted to send Ovidio and his brother to Canada in a bid to distance them from cartel violence. However, in 2012, the U.S. Treasury named her as a narcotics kingpin, accusing her of logistical support for Guzmán’s operations. López has consistently rejected these accusations, defending her son and expressing frustration over being labeled a criminal.
Despite lacking active charges against her in Mexico, her movement to the U.S. suggests she remains a figure of interest to American law enforcement, underscoring her potential significance in the ongoing dynamics of the Sinaloa Cartel, particularly amidst a climate of internal cartel tensions following the affiliations with U.S. authorities.
As this story unfolds, it will be crucial to monitor how the shifting power structures within the cartel and relationships with law enforcement agencies influence the future of both Griselda López and her family. The developments reflect a complex interplay of crime, family loyalty, and legal negotiations, indicating that the situation continues to be fluid and significant in the landscape of organized crime.