The New York Post is known as one of the leading conservative tabloids or sensationalist newspapers in the United States. Image: The New York Post.
Guacamaya, September 18, 2025. In an article published by The New York Post, it was explained that, according to a source, the information that led to the bombing of boats allegedly shipping drugs from Venezuela was provided by Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
This version was shared numerous times on social media, taken as fact that Ismael Zambada worked directly with Nicolás Maduro and the alleged “Cartel of the Suns.”
However, we can state that the information published by the Post is categorically false. The only source is a security consultant in Texas, who offers his opinion. There is no form of valid evidence.
Zambada, one of the founders of the Sinaloa Cartel alongside Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, reached a plea deal with U.S. justice in August. He pleaded guilty to being one of the principal leaders of a criminal organization, including charges for drug trafficking, murder, and torture.
From there, the American outlet goes on to present the view of a single security consultant, Robert Almonte. “To me, it is clear that El Mayo Zambada reached certain agreements with the U.S. government and informed them about the collaboration between Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns and the Sinaloa Cartel for drug trafficking.”
Almonte was the deputy director of the El Paso police department, specializing in narcotics. However, he demonstrates to have no privileged information, nor does he cite any sources to support his claims.
The author of the article, for his part, also offers no further assertions to back up Almonte’s version. The only thing mentioned is the coincidence in timing between Zambada’s plea deal and the bombing of three vessels in international waters near Venezuela.
It is true that the U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, accused Maduro of being linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. However, not only did she present no proof or evidence, but the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, stated that no such link exists and invited Washington to present evidence.
A Low-Credibility “Tabloid”
The Post has been criticized for decades for its sensationalism, for openly demonstrating a clear conservative bias, and for favoring the commercial interests of its owner, Rupert Murdoch. The Australian-born magnate is also known for owning similar “tabloids” in other countries, such as The Sun in the United Kingdom.
As far back as 1980, the Columbia Journalism Review stated that “The New York Post is no longer merely a journalistic problem. It is a social problem—a force for evil.” In 2004, a survey by Pace University found that the Post was the least credible media outlet in New York.
The tabloid has been proven to publish false information on numerous occasions, even facing court cases for defamation. For example, in 2023, it ran a front-page story claiming that 20 homeless veterans were being evicted from hotels in New York State to offer those rooms to illegal immigrants. It was later demonstrated that this story was fabricated, but it had already been republished by Fox News and other outlets.
The Post has also served Murdoch’s commercial interests in stranger ways. It has been accused of avoiding topics that could prove unfavorable for the Chinese government ever since Murdoch invested in satellite television in the country.
