The amount of major narco cases hitting U.S. courts right now is off the scale. Rafael Caro Quintero is heading to trial for trafficking, with the murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in the mix. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who may have moved more bricks than anybody, is awaiting a sentencing hearing.
Ryan Wedding, the former Olympic snow boarder, is represented by the grandson of a Mob boss and is yet to make a deal. Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is fighting to get assets unfrozen to pay his lawyer. And this is before we get to Z-40, Vicente “The Viceroy” Carrillo Fuentes, La Tuta, and others from the 92 alleged narcos that the Mexican military flew into U.S. custody over the last year.
With so much happening, it’s great to chat with Ángel Hernández, who has been covering all these cases for Mexican news outlet Milenio. While based in Mexico City, he has been up and down to the States like a yo-yo attending every major hearing and getting close to the colorful cast of narco lawyers. Here we break down the latest and what is coming in this historic moment of narco court cases.
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Copyright Ioan Grillo and CrashOut Media 2026
