Key figures associated with Ismael Zambada García and the Sinaloa Cartel include Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, a notorious drug lord who was once a top leader within the organization. Together, they formed a formidable partnership that allowed the cartel to expand its operations and assert its dominance in the drug trade. El Chapo’s capture and subsequent extradition to the United States marked a significant shift in the cartel’s operations, with Zambada García assuming a more prominent role in leading the organization.