María Scherer tells what her meeting with ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was like: he is a cryptic and familiar man

Two weeks before being captured, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambadahistorical leader of Sinaloa Cartelgave an interview to the journalist Maria Scherer Ibarra for the magazine Process.

Recently, in an interview with Carlos Loret de Molathe journalist offered details about the meeting with one of the bosses who at the time was one of the most wanted in the world, describing the logistical challenges to reach him, his attitude and the daily aspects of a man full of contradictions.

During the interview, Scherer perceived a calm and confident Zambada, oblivious to the possibility of his imminent capture. “Of course I didn’t see it coming. Someone who feels threatened to the limit does not sit down and talk to a journalist. That’s why I think he was ambushed,” he said in Latinus.

Scherer said that getting to the place where Zambada was was a challenge. The interview took place in a rural area of ​​northern Mexico, in Sinaloa, in an environment completely unknown to her.

Unlike other famous interviews with the boss, such as Julio Scherer García (his father) in 2008, or that of Diego Enrique Osornothere were no extreme security measures, such as blindfolding him. However, the journey was confusing.

“I don’t know if they made me go around, if we went back and forth the same distance. “I have no idea,” Scherer explained. Although he did not notice an ostentatious display of security, there were always vehicles in front of and behind him, forming a discreet convoy.

Scherer described the conversation with Zambada as one of the most difficult of his career. “He is a very, very cryptic man. It doesn’t answer you, it doesn’t answer you and it’s immovable. (…) He says exactly what he wants to say, he answers what he wants to answer and there is no way to insist,” he said. The journalist highlighted that the veteran boss always maintained control of the conversation, avoiding topics that did not interest him.

The interview lasted approximately eight hours, which included breakfast and lunch. The communicator confessed that she was nervous, but not because of fear, but because she knew that she had a great journalistic opportunity in her hands.

During this time, the boss spoke about family issues, his vision of the security strategy in Mexico and even small details of his daily life, while maintaining a serene and confident air.

Scherer Ibarra highlighted that El Mayo was far from the stereotype of a drug trafficking leader. “The day I saw him he was dressed very similar to how he was dressed the day they kidnapped him, that they took him to the United States: with a button-down shirt, a collared shirt, a polo shirt, with some pants because he was convalescing from one leg, with some tennis shoes,” he said.

The environment where the interview took place was also discreet. The house was simple, with a rural style and country furniture. There was movement of people, but no excesses such as loud music or parties, which are usually associated with these figures.

The journalist clarified that with this she does not deny that her fortune may be in less visible assets. “I’m not saying that he doesn’t have fortunes in cattle, hectares, land or property, even in cash or in tax havens. But there, in the place where we were, that was not seen,” added the journalist.

María Scherer and Jorge Carrasco shared two meals with Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. The food, although simple, was prepared with care. According to the journalist, the food was austere, but well cooked.

Zambada García also showed his family side. He identified the symbolic presence of Vicente Zambada Niebla, alias “El Vicentillo”, in some of the places where he was during the encounter with the drug trafficker. He witnessed several framed paintings of landscapes, animals, and a silhouette of his own father. When he asked about its origin, they explained that it had been made 15 years ago by Vicente Zambada Niebla, “El Vicentillo”, during his time in prison. This work contrasted with other smaller ones that decorated the house.

Although the drug trafficker presented himself as a simple and familiar man, María Scherer highlighted the contradictions she perceived in his personality and environment.

The journalist pointed out that, upon seeing him for the first time, he projected a completely different image from that of a drug trafficking leader. As he reported, “If you didn’t know him, you would think this man was an organic farmer or rancher.”.

One of the most striking contradictions, according to Scherer, was the presence of a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi in one of the boss’s properties, accompanied by a phrase alluding to pacifism.

The journalist said that it was ironic that someone identified as one of the biggest generators of violence in Mexico had Gandhi, a world leader of non-violence, as a reference, and also assumed himself to be a pacifist.

“He considers himself a pacifist. “Murders are others, he is a supporter of pacifism, when we all know the consequences that drug trafficking has had during these times,” he told Loret de Mola.

In the interview, Zambada expressed his support for the president’s security strategy Andrés Manuel López Obrador known as “hugs, not gunshots,” noting that gunshots are “very dangerous.” However, he also expressed respect for the former president’s security policy. Felipe Calderonwhom he recognized for having done “what he had to do.”

One of the moments that caught Scherer’s attention occurred during lunch.

After eating, Zambada asked that his guests be offered tamales. However, there were only two or three left, so they had to share them.

Maria Scherer He explained that tamales were the basic breakfast of the people who worked for El Mayo Zambada on their ranches and properties. He deduced this when he learned about the amount of tamales that were prepared daily to feed all the people who were part of his environment.

After eating them, “El Mayo” asked his guests if they liked the tamales, to which they said yes, so he assured them that he would send them more, and so he did.

Weeks later, they arrived at the editorial office of Process several coolers full of tamales. The quantity was so large that it would not fit in a standard refrigerator.

Maria Scherer He mentioned that one of his objectives when interviewing Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was to try to clarify the relationship that had existed between his father, Julio Scherer Garcíaand the boss, but could not get a complete answer.

“It was one of my purposes, I couldn’t fully clarify what I wanted, which was to understand what the relationship between these two characters consisted of, my father and El Mayo.”

María Scherer commented that, during the meeting, she got the impression that “El Mayo” had deep respect and admiration for her father, Julio Scherer García. When referring to him, Zambada used expressions such as “Don Julio” and spoke in a reverent tone.

Furthermore, he made a significant gesture, hitting his chest with his hand, which María interpreted as a sign of respect and appreciation.

“I got the impression that he kept something that he would have wanted to say or that he would have wanted to continue that conversation in some way,” he reflected.