Authorities detailed that police, prosecutors and forensic examiners in northern Mexico seemingly conspired to cover up the killing of Héctor Cuén, a Sinaloa politician and opponent of Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya.
Days after his arrest, Zambada claimed in a hand-written letter that he was forced aboard an airplane on July 25 by Joaquín Guzmán López and his gunmen, who then flew them both to the United States where they were turned in to authorities. In the letter, Zambada also made mention of the murder of Cuén, who died on the same day, at the same time, and at the same ranch were Zambada claimed to be kidnapped.
Gov. Rocha Moya's, in contrast, said Cuén was killed by gunmen in a random botched robbery at a gas station miles away from the ranch. But evidence found by prosecutors have corroborated "El Mayo's" version.
The Sinaloa Attorney General's Office (FGE) initially said that Cuén was killed at a gas station in Culiacán, and released a video that supposedly supported that version of events. But on Oct. 20, Mexico's Attorney General's Office (FGR) rejected that version, reiterating that Cuén was killed "many hours" before the gas station attack took place.
In previously shown security camera footage of the alleged attack, only one gunshot can be heard on the footage. But a post-mortem record showed Cuén's body actually had four gunshot wounds.
"At a property located in Huertos del Pedregal, Culiacán, hematic evidence was found that has been determined with complete precision ... to correspond to the ex-rector of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa," the FGR said.
FGR officials said the kidnapping of Zambada, the murder of Cuén and the forced disappearance of several other people were crimes "directly linked" to Guzmán López. The agency attributed the advance to a joint action with the federal Security Ministry, the National Guard and the Mexican Army and Navy.
In relation to the security footage shown by Gov. Rocha Moya in which he argues Cuén was assassinated at a gas station, the FGR said that the human blood found at the property corresponds to Rodolfo "C," a member of Zambada's security team.
As the investigation unfolded, Sara Bruna Quiñónez Estrada resigned as attorney general of Sinaloa in August after discrepancies between the state and federal findings came to light.
Mexico's Attorney General's Office said it will present "all the proof" against the relevant FGE officials to an alternative judge in the upcoming days, as a federal judge in Culiacán refused to issue warrants for their arrests.
Sinaloa Gov. Rocha Moya under investigation
Ever since the events transpired, Rocha Moya has denied any involvement in the events, saying he was in California on the day of Zambada's kidnapping and Cuén's assassination. While flight records show Rocha used a private jet to travel, he has not produced immigration documents to confirm his entry into the United States.
He is also being investigated for alleged ties to the Sinaloa cartel faction known as "Los Chapitos." Although he has denied any wrongdoing or involvement with the group, an intelligence report from SEDENA obtained by Proceso magazine details cooperation between Rocha Moya and "Los Chapitos."
The report details that Rocha Moya has grown "extremely nervous" and "deeply worried" about his and his family's safety since Zambada was detained by U.S. officials in July.
The document reveals that Rocha Moya counts with protection 24 hours a day by members of the National Guard and the Navy, putting at his disposal armored trucks as well as snipers as the governor could be the target of an assassination plot.
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