High-Stakes Trial: Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charges

Mexican cartel leader Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including drug trafficking, in the New York courthouse where 'El Chapo' Guzman was convicted. Zambada, 76, remains in custody and faces an October 31 court date. His arrest has sparked fears of intensified cartel violence in Sinaloa.

In a dramatic courtroom scene on Friday, Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada pleaded not guilty to an array of serious charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, at a New York courthouse, echoing the conviction of his cartel co-founder, 'El Chapo' Guzman, five years earlier.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James Cho ordered the 76-year-old kingpin jailed pending trial, labeling him a major global narco-criminal. 'A United States jail cell is the only thing that will prevent the defendant from committing further crimes and ensure his return to court,' asserted Prosecutor Francisco Navarro.

Zambada's arrest has already triggered violent repercussions. Shootouts in Sinaloa have claimed 12 lives, prompting the cancellation of national celebrations and the closure of schools amid growing fears of an intra-cartel war.

(With inputs from agencies.)