El Chapo's sons fed enemies to tigers, used waterboarding and electrical shock to torture victims
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
NAVOLATO, MEXICO: It has been revealed that the sons of Mexican cartel leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman allegedly ran “the largest, most violent and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world.” Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ovidio Guzman Lopez are among 28 Sinaloa Cartel members and leaders accused of sadistic violence, including feeding their enemies to tigers.
“They are the bosses and the violence they commit is terrible,” a source told New York Post. “It seems like there is nothing that can be done to stop it.” A recently released indictment revealed that people including rival traffickers, uncooperative law enforcers and unfaithful cartel members were brought to the Navolato, Sinaloa, ranch for interrogations that led to horrific violence. The ranch is owned by Ivan, 39.
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Waterboarding and electrical shock were used in torture sessions, and were carried out by the Sinaloa Cartel’s 'ninis,' a “particularly violent group of sicarios,” or hitmen, trained in “urban warfare … and sniper proficiency,” the indictment says. The victims were disposed of after they split the information needed. Some were shot dead, while the others were allegedly fed to tigers that Ivan and Alfredo, 36, kept as pets, according to the indictment. The indictment cites one incident where one of the ninis ripped out a Mexican federal law enforcement officer’s muscle with a corkscrew and then “poured hot chiles in his open wounds and nose.” Ivan then gunned down the officer.
'There are black bags with bodies left on the street'
“You can go walking across the street in the Sinaloa and there are black bags with bodies left on the street,” said the source. “You go to school with your son in the morning, you both see these bags and you both know there are bodies in them. Nobody says anything. Everyone knows what they mean. The message that those bags send is, ‘Don’t cause trouble for us or this will happen to you.’”
The indictment says rival drug traffickers and government officials “would be kidnapped, tortured and killed.” However, even ordinary citizens we victimized. Don Winslow, a novelist who has written fictional content about the cartels, said the Sinaloas offer deals that he described as 'plato o plumo — silver or lead'. As per the deal, the cartel requires cooperation from the locals, many a time as drug mules.
'You say no and they’ll kill you'
“You say yes and you get a lot of money; you say no and [they’ll] kill you and might kill your family,” said the 'City of Dreams' author. “They kill your kid right in front of you. If you don’t say yes after that, they kill you. Then they go to the next guy and ask, ‘Have you seen Philippe and his son around?’ The person they approach does not want to be next” so they tend to go along with whatever is asked."
It is believed that Ivan is El Chapo’s favorite son and has been groomed for the drug trade from early on. Ovidio, 33, is the least successful when it comes to the family business. Joaquin, 36, reportedly keeps a lower profile than his brothers. Mexican journalist Jose Reveles has described them as “show-offs, loud-mouthed and very indiscreet," and they are said to have shown off their criminal lives on social media. Malcom Beith, author of 'The Last Narco,' said, "They are spoiled rich kids who did not have to work their way up the ladder – it’s their Guzman name that gives them the clout."
