Consuelo Loera Pérez, the mother of convicted Mexico drug lord and former Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has died in the northern state of Sinaloa, as confirmed by a federal official on Monday.

While the official spoke anonymously, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador acknowledged her passing and offered his condolences to the family.

Lopez Obrador, known for his visits to the drug lord's hometown, emphasized the importance of respecting the passing of any human being in his daily briefing, AP reports.

"Any human being who dies deserves respect and consideration for their family," the Mexican President said.

Local media reported El Chapo's mother's death at a private hospital in Culiacán, Sinaloa, the home of the cartel her son led for two decades before his arrest in 2017.

The hospital declined to comment on the matter. Although the official cause of death is stated as "natural causes," there are reports linking it to respiratory complications following a COVID-19 infection in 2021.

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El Chapo Mother, Consuelo Loera:

María Consuelo Loera Perez, affectionately known as "La Tuna," was born in Badiraguato in 1929, according to MARCA. She will be mourned in her hometown before her body is transferred to Culiacán.

She gave birth to ex-Sinaloa Cartel boss El Chapo on April 4, 1957. Consuelo Loera had several other children, including Arturo, Bernarda, Miguel Angel, Aureliano, Armida, and Emilio.

Her grandchildren, notably 'Los Chapitos,' including Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, have gained notoriety.

Ovidio was captured on September 15, 2023, and extradited to the United States.

El Chapo's Mother and Mexico President Manuel Lopez Obrador

During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Consuelo Loera's handshake with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador during a visit to her town sparked controversy, VICE noted.

El Chapo's mother had requested the president's help in obtaining a US visa to visit her son, who was serving a life sentence on drug charges.

Mexico President Manuel Lopez Obrador, in his Monday briefing, expressed his condolences and emphasized the importance of showing respect for any deceased individual and their family.

Despite needing a visa to visit her son in the US, Consuelo Loera always denied El Chapo's leadership in the Sinaloa Cartel.

Reports suggest she lived under tight security due to concerns about potential retaliation from rivals.

A video surfaced of Mexico's Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador telling her not to leave her house, promising his intervention in response to a letter from El Chapo's family requesting assistance in seeing him in prison.

This move drew criticism for not extending similar empathy to other sectors affected by violence in the country.

Armed men broke into Loera Pérez's house in 2016 while El Chapo was imprisoned in Mexico.

Although El Chapo's mother remained unharmed, three nearby residents lost their lives, and the attackers stole vehicles and motorcycles while cutting telephone lines.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Meet El Chapo's Mom - From FRONTLINE PBS