Trial "El Chapo" Guzman: The former partner describes a budget of over one million dollars spent on corruption

Vicente Zambada, 43, the last witness who participated in the trial of Guzman's plot in Brooklyn, New York, in federal court, highlighted the millions of dollars paid by the cartel to corrupt officials to become one of the largest organized crime organizations in the world.

The son of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada – a wanted man who allegedly ran the cartel, now that Guzman is behind bars – entered the courtroom dressed in a uniform dark prison. He smiled and nodded to Guzman, sitting at the defense table clad in a dark navy blue suit and matching tie.

While When from his testimony against his former mentor, Zambada has repeatedly referred to Guzman, 61, in Spanish by "mid compadre" or "my boyfriend". Zambada said that he knew Guzman since the age of 15 and that he was the godfather of his youngest son.

The Zambada testified that its responsibilities in the agreement included clandestine meetings with senior law enforcement officials and Mexican military officials who had helped to facilitate operations. smuggling and ensured the assignment of "friendly" officers to key areas.

For their services. Mexican government officials have collected bribes on more than a million dollars set aside each month, Zambada said.

This budget did not include bonuses paid as a result of successful drug shipments, Zambada said.

The Zambada said the government had proposed in 2008 to invest in a state-owned oil company's ship, which could be used to transport 100 tons of cocaine. The case has apparently failed.

Zambada a was arrested in Mexico in 2009 and later extradited to the United States on charges of conspiracy and drug trafficking. He pleaded guilty in a federal case against him in Chicago. He was not convicted, but risked 10 years in prison for life and agreed to lose $ 1.37 billion. He hopes that his cooperation will result in a reduced sentence.

Guzman pleaded not guilty to charges of international drug trafficking and conspiracy to murder rivals.

The case against Guzman rests in part on the testimony of a group of cooperating witnesses, mostly former cartel associates already incarcerated or given a new identity and transferred by the US government.

Zambada's uncle, Jesus Zambada Garcia, also known as the name "El Rey" or "The King", was one of these witnesses. He stated in November that he had paid countless Mexican officials from 1987 to 2001. Once, he told the jury that Mr. Guzman had asked him to hand over $ 100,000 to a Mexican military general so he to ensure that a cargo of drugs is delivered without interruption.

The defense lawyers did. sought to portray the cooperating witnesses as unreliable assholes who exaggerated Guzman's role in the cartel in the hope of more lenient sentences.

The Zambada returns to the bar on Friday.