The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will not seek the death penalty against three prominent Mexican drug traffickers: Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, Rafael Caro Quintero, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, also known as "El Viceroy." Zambada, a co-founder and former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, faces 17 federal charges related to narcotrafficking, arms distribution, and money laundering allegedly committed between 1989 and 2024. Caro Quintero, founder of the Guadalajara Cartel, and Carrillo Fuentes, former leader of the Juárez Cartel, were extradited or expelled to the U.S. earlier this year along with other alleged cartel leaders. The decision not to pursue capital punishment was communicated to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan and is seen as part of ongoing legal proceedings, with indications that Zambada may be negotiating to avoid trial in New York. Mexican authorities have clarified that the decision to forgo the death penalty is made solely by the U.S. government. Mexican political figures, including Claudia Sheinbaum, have expressed opposition to the death penalty regardless of the crimes involved. The U.S. Justice Department's announcement reflects a departure from seeking the maximum penalty despite the accused's alleged deep ties to cartel violence.