Special to WorldTribune.com
By Allan Wall, July 15, 2025
[One of the sons of notorious “El Chapo” pleaded guilty last week in a U.S. federal court in Chicago to major drug charges and running the Sinaloa Cartel in his father’s absence. His plea is part of a federal strategy, “Operation Take Back America,” aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel.]Who are the Chapitos?
The Chapitos are four sons of El Chapo, a former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The Sinaloa Cartel had two leaders: Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
El Chapo was captured in 2016 and extradited to the United States in 2017. In 2019 El Chapo was sentenced to life + 30 and is imprisoned in the ADX Florence federal prison in Colorado.
Related: Meanwhile, in N.Y., ‘El Chapo’ faces a 17-count indictment . . . and a bill for the wall?, January 27, 2017
The Mexican narco business is a family business. So four sons of el Chapo, Los Chapitos, kept up their end of the cartel.
The four Chapitos are
1. Ovidio Guzman Lopez
2. Joaquin Guzman Lopez
3. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar
4. Jesús Alfredo Guzman Salazar
By utilizing the Spanish-language dual surname system you can see that Chapitos #1 and #2 have one mother, and numbers #3 and #4 have another mother. But they are all 4 sons of El Chapo and they are all four chips off the old block.
Where are they now?
Ovidio Guzman Lopez
Ovidio was captured in 2023 and extradited to the United States later that year. Ovidio made a plea bargain with the court and recently pleaded guilty.
From a July 11th Fox News article:
“One of the sons of notorious drug lord ‘El Chapo’ pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court in Chicago to major drug charges and running the Sinaloa Cartel in his father’s absence.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, admitted to running part of the Sinaloa Cartel, coordinating massive drug shipments, including fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into the U.S. and using violence to protect cartel operations, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois….
Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms, according to federal officials.
He used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States, using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft and other means, the plea agreement states.
After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, officials said, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico.
Guzman Lopez then admitted he and his cartel associates committed violent acts against law enforcement officials, civilians and rival drug traffickers to protect the cartel’s drug-trafficking activities.”
Ovidio has not yet been sentenced.
2. Joaquin Guzman Lopez
In 2024, Joaquin, [aka as “El Güero Moreno”]’ flew to El Paso, Texas, with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada the other leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, where both were arrested by U.S. authorities.
It’s believed that this was a result of a deal with the U.S. government made by Joaquin, although El Mayo was tricked into going.
The cases of both of these men are pending.
Meanwhile back in Sinaloa, a war broke out between the two factions and is still going on.
3. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar
This Chapito is still at large.
The U.S. government is offering a $10 million bounty for information leading to his capture.
Here is his wanted poster:
4. Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar
This son, also known as Alfredillo, is also still at large, also worth a $10 million bounty.
Here is Alredillo’s wanted poster:
Four chips off the old ‘El Chapo’ block: Where are they now? added by Editor One on
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