U.S. Lets Mexican Cartel Kingpins Off Death Row, Undermining Justice and National Security

In a decision that demands scrutiny, U.S. prosecutors announced they will not seek the death penalty against Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Rafael Caro Quintero—two of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords whose illegal operations have devastated American communities for decades. This choice raises profound questions about whether justice is being fully served amidst the ongoing war on drugs and cross-border crime. These men are no ordinary criminals. Caro Quintero masterminded the brutal 1985 torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a case that shook the nation and symbolizes the violent threat Mexican cartels pose to American sovereignty and...