Rafael 'Caro' Quintero and 28 drug lord leaders were handed over to U.S. authorities and appeared before the Brooklyn Court in New York, where Quintero pleaded not guilty. In this court, three Mexicans whose lives are intertwined in certain aspects were present: Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, and Genaro García Luna. All three have been tried in the federal court of the Eastern District of New York, where 'El Chapo' and García Luna received prison sentences. 'El Mayo' faces charges in several cities in the United States.
Prosecutor Saritha Komatireddy stated that Quintero, also known as the 'Narco of narcos,' pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, racketeering, use of firearms, and murder. During the hearing, a large number of DEA agents, Department of Justice workers, and international journalists witnessed the reading of charges. Komatireddy mentioned that Quintero, accused of the death of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in 1985, is finally facing U.S. justice after decades on the run.
Regarding the connections between those present in court, it is highlighted that Judge Brian Cogan, who sentenced 'El Chapo' and García Luna, remarked to the latter: 'You lead a double life. You may say you respect the law and surely believe it, but your conduct is the same as Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán.' This meeting in the Brooklyn courthouse brought together prominent figures from drug trafficking and security in Mexico, attracting the attention of the media and the public in general.
