PAN responds to accusations against Juan Pablo Penilla: 'Morena prays that 'El Mayo' does not talk about his connections'

Jorge Romero, leader of the National Action Party (PAN) responded to the allegations that link the political group with Juan Pablo Penilla, defender of Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada .

Romero distanced himself from the ties between the 'blanquiazul' and Penilla and called "ridiculous" the members of Morena who reaffirm these accusations.

" I don't know how many candles they have lit because if this man (' El Mayo' Zambada ) fulfills his ultimatum, everything will come out..." he said in an interview with Azucena Uresti.

Romero questioned how President Claudia Sheinbaum denied knowing Juan Pablo Penilla when photos of them together circulated and it was also revealed that he advised the government of Tamaulipas; in addition to images in which the defender is with Ricardo Monreal, leader of Morena in the Chamber of Deputies.

"They are increasingly cornered because it is not just about talking about a lawyer, but about everything. In an international context in which the person who has just assumed the presidency of the United States said it as it is in a statement that there are links between organized crime and the government for six years in Mexico," added Jorge Romero.

The PAN leader also asked to analyze the aid that the Mexican government wants to give to ' El Mayo' Zambada without taking into account other Mexicans facing the death penalty and whose detention was also irregular.

Regarding the letter that 'El Mayo' Zambada sent to the Government of Mexico , Jorge Romero assured that it is interpreted as an ultimatum.

"I read it as a blatant threat, as an ultimatum of either you return me to Mexico or everything I know about Mayo Zambada will come out," he added.

The letter was sent to Claudia Sheinbaum's government to request her extradition and stated that, if she does not respond, the relationship between Mexico and the United States will suffer a "collapse."

The letter was presented last Thursday by Zambada's defense at the Mexican Consulate General in New York and published by the newspaper Reforma. In her morning press conference on Friday , President Sheinbaum confirmed that the document had been received.

Juan Pablo Penilla was accused of having ties to the national leadership of Morena in the 2024 electoral campaign by participating as a legal advisor to President Sheinbaum's campaign team.

It was also announced that Penilla was named honorary advisor to the Tamaulipas government in 2023, headed by Morena member Américo Villarreal.

In addition, Zambada's legal advisor was honored as an "Ambassador of Peace" by the PAN, which recognized his professional career in 2023.

Juan Carlos Penilla has a degree in Law from the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas and is currently legal advisor to 'El Mayo' Zambada who is facing trial in the US.

However, this is not the first time he has acted as a lawyer for such individuals. Previously, he was the defender of Miguel Ángel Treviño, alias 'El Z-40' and former leader of the Zetas Cartel.