Mexican authorities did not know that “El Jando” was the pilot who transferred “El Mayo” when they handed him over to th
At the time of his capture, he provided a false identity, so the authorities were unable to establish that he was "El Jando."
The Attorney General's Office (FGR) acknowledged that it identified until June 2026 that Mauro Alberto Núñez Ojeda, alias "El Jando", was the pilot who transported Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada to the United States in July 2024, despite the fact that this member of the Sinaloa Cartel had already been handed over to the US authorities months before.
According to a report from the FGR, “El Jando” was arrested on February 8, 2025 in Jesús María, Culiacán, during a confrontation with federal forces.
At the time of his capture, he provided a different identity, so the authorities were unable to establish that he was the pilot involved in Zambada's transfer.
The agency explained that it was not until June 2026 when, after carrying out new expert opinions and comparisons of fingerprints, voice and information contained in different investigation folders, it was confirmed that the detainee corresponded to the person who piloted the aircraft in which Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López traveled from Sinaloa to New Mexico on July 25, 2024.
Before that identification, the Government of Mexico had included “El Jando” in the group of 26 criminals handed over to the United States in August 2025, within a bilateral cooperation procedure.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, once his identity was confirmed, the information corresponding to the investigations opened in Mexico related to the transfer of Zambada to United States territory was integrated, a case that the Mexican Government has maintained occurred without the participation of national authorities and which it considers a kidnapping.
The announcement came a day after Omar García Harfuch, head of the Federal Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), indicated that the Prosecutor's Office would present a report with the details of the delivery of the pilot to the United States.
The agency pointed out that the fact that “El Jando” is already under the jurisdiction of the United States does not prevent it from continuing with the investigations or requesting international cooperation mechanisms when necessary.
The case revived questions about the investigations surrounding the capture of “El Mayo” Zambada and the exchange of information between Mexican and United States authorities.