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Top Sinaloa cartel leaders, including son of El Chapo, taken into US custody

ABC13 Houston
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Top Sinaloa cartel leaders, including son of El Chapo, taken into US custody

WASHINGTON — Two top leaders of the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel have been taken into custody by United States authorities to face charges for their role in leading the group’s vast drug trafficking enterprise, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of “El Chapo” Guzman, were placed under arrest in El Paso, Texas on Thursday, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

“Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks,” Garland said in a statement.

“El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States,” Garland said.

Zambada faces multiple federal indictments for his alleged role in the cartel and has been on the run from U.S. and Mexican law enforcement for years. His fellow co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel, El Chapo, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and convicted in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison.

“Today, the FBI and DEA arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have eluded law enforcement for decades. Ismael Mario ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo, will now face justice in the United States,” Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

“Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S. along with related violence. These arrests are an example of the FBI’s and our partners commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel,” Wray said.

The circumstances behind Zambada and Guzman Lopez being taken into custody were not immediately clear as of Thursday evening, however, the men were arrested in an operation that ended on U.S. soil.

They were placed in handcuffs by FBI agents during an operation culminating at an airstrip not far from El Paso.

“The arrest of Ismael Zambada García, better known as ‘El Mayo,’ one of the alleged founders and leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, strikes at the heart of the cartel that is responsible for the majority of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, killing Americans from coast to coast. El Mayo is one of DEA’s most wanted fugitives and he is in custody tonight and will soon face justice in a U.S. court of law,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Anne Milgram.

“Joaquin Guzman Lopez, another alleged leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and the son of ‘El Chapo,’ was also arrested today – his arrest is another enormous blow to the Sinaloa Cartel. In 2017, he and his brothers, the Chapitos, allegedly took control of the Sinaloa Cartel after El Chapo was extradited to the United States. DEA will continue to seek justice for any American life that is lost and will work tirelessly to prevent more needless deaths and pursue those that are responsible,” Milgram said.

The U.S. government had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Zambada.

Guzman Lopez’s brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was charged last year with two dozen others as part of a crackdown targeting a global drug trafficking network run through Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. According to the charges, the cartel used precursor chemicals shipped from China to fuel the fentanyl crisis plaguing the U.S.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez had been wanted by U.S. authorities since 2019 and was captured by Mexican armed forces in January 2023 in a small town just outside the city of Culiacán, the capital of the Mexican state of Sinaloa.

He was captured in an overnight raid that had been in the works for more than six months, officials said at the time. The arrest followed an infamous incident in 2019, in which authorities briefly detained Guzman Lopez at a home in Culiacán, before word spread and heavily armed gunmen flooded the city. Massive shootouts occurred between cartel members and Mexican armed forces around the city. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ordered Guzman Lopez released in order to avoid more bloodshed.

Their father is serving a life sentence in the U.S. after being convicted in 2019 of conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, including large-scale narcotics violations and a murder conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracies, unlawful use of a firearm and a money laundering conspiracy.

Houston mayor replaces fire department chief Samuel Peña with Thomas Muñoz

Indira Zaldivar
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Houston mayor replaces fire department chief Samuel Peña with Thomas Muñoz
Former Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña speaks at a press conference at City Hall on July 3, 2024. Credit: Indira Zaldivar / Que Onda Magazine.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced on Friday that he replaced former Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña with former Houston Emergency Mangement Coordinator Thomas Muñoz.

Peña joins the list of City Hall employees who’ve been replaced by Whitmire during his first seven months.

Peña had served as fire chief since 2016 and has almost 30 years of experience in fire department.

However, the mayor’s decision was in a way suspected partly related to disagreements between the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association that endorsed Whitmire and the former chief.

Meet the new Chief of HFD: Thomas Muñoz

Thomas Muñoz, 37th chief of the Houston Fire Department.

The department’s new 37th chief, Muñoz, served 24 years in the HFD, prior to his most recent roles as OEM coordinator and acting Director for the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security. 

“I’ll work hard to make our Houston Fire Department the best in the world,” Muñoz said in Spanish during his first press conference as the fire chief on July 26.

Muñoz is a member of FEMA’s National Advisory Council and has more than 29 years of experience as a first responder and emergency manager. During his 24 years with the Houston Fire Department, Muñoz oversaw Homeland Security, Public Affairs, and HAZMAT. Muñoz completed the Executive Leadership and Management Certification from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business and is a Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program graduate from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also completed the Component National Security Course at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. 

“Mayor Whitmire is a no-nonsense leader who has supported our firefighters since day one,” said Chief Muñoz.

“I am committed to taking care of the residents of Houston, which must begin with taking care of the men and women of the Houston Fire Department. The work we do today will have a lasting impact for years to come, and I know that with this administration, we can improve the safety of all residents and future generations.” 

Whitmire announced the decision in a statement on Friday praising Muñoz’s leadership.

“Chief Muñoz is a strong leader dedicated to preparing and protecting Houstonians for emergencies. I believe he is the best emergency management coordinator in the country,” said Mayor Whitmire. “He is experienced, knowledgeable, and widely respected. I have worked alongside him during the flooding in Kingwood, the derecho, Hurricane Beryl, and the winter freeze. I am confident that Chief Muñoz is the best person to lead the City’s fire department at this time.” 

Whitmire didn’t go into extensive detail onto why he replaced Peña.

“I want my team in place,” Whitmire said during a press conference following his announcement of the new fire chief.

2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony set to get underway in historic fashion

ABC13 Houston
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2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony set to get underway in historic fashion

PARIS — The 2024 Paris Summer games are set to formally kickoff Friday in what will be an opening ceremony like no other before its time.

There will be all of the pageantry and spectacle you’d come to expect from an Olympics opening ceremony, only there will be one big difference. Instead of parading around a stadium, some 10,000 plus athletes will get on boats and sail down the heart of Paris on the Seine River.

Olympic organizers say this will be the first time in the history of the Summer Games that it will be held outside of a stadium.

Roaring back from the pandemic era

The Paris Games somewhat represent a return to normalcy. The last Summer Olympics in Tokyo occurred in 2021, delayed a year amid a global pandemic, which for the Games meant large-scale restrictions — no spectators, quiet stadiums and mask mandates.

Paris aims to offer a stark contrast.

According to Paris’ Tourism Board, some 11 million tourists are expected to visit the French capital for the Games.

Paris 2024 Olympic Organizers on Thursday said that Paris Games broke the record for most tickets sold or allocated in the event’s history, the AP reported.

In total, 9.7 million tickets have been so far for this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, breaking the previous ticket sales record set in 1996 during the Atlanta Games when 8.3 million were sold.

Massive security operation

Paris officials knew that floating the opening ceremony down the Seine would not come without security risks and as the Games are about to officially open, the streets are flooded with 45,000 police officers and an additional 10,000 soldiers — including search dogs, bomb squads and tactical teams — essentially transforming the French capital into a maximum security site, complete with checkpoints and metal barricades.

MORE: Why Simone Biles is one of the greatest athletes of all time: A look ahead at the Paris Olympics

PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics
A general view of the Olympic rings on t…Show moreAgustin Marcarian/Reuters

MORE: Simone Biles to represent team USA at 2024 Paris Olympic Games: See the full roster

As it gets closer to the ceremony, the airspace in and around the Seine will close, stretching some 93 miles. Four nearby airports will also be shuttered as a result, including Paris Charles de Gaulle, one of Europe’s three largest airports.

Floating down the Seine River

More than 300,000 spectators are expected to gather along the Seine River to watch the historic opening ceremony on Friday night as dozens of team boats will ferry 10,000 Olympic athletes from east to west along the river, a route that extends nearly four miles, passing famed landmarks and bridges along the way.

There, the Eiffel Tower will serve as an illustrious backdrop for the remainder of the ceremony.

Coco Gauff and LeBron James picked as Team USA flagbearers

PHOTO: Paris Olympics Tennis
Coco Gauff of the U.S. returns the ball d…Show moreManu Fernandez/AP

Tennis star Coco Gauff will represent Team USA as the female flag bearer at the opening ceremony, joining NBA star LeBron James.

Gauff will make history as the first American tennis player to carry the flag.

“I had no idea and it was definitely very shocking,” Gauff told ABC News when recounting the moment she found out she would be carrying the flag.

MORE: Inside the cutthroat world of becoming a Wimbledon ball boy and ball girl

“And I haven’t met LeBron yet,” she added. “but I am excited to meet him.”

First Lady Jill Biden arrived in Paris on Thursday, the eve of the opening ceremony, and spent the day meeting Olympic athletes and their families before representing the United States at the opening ceremony on Friday evening.

Ongoing Flooding Southeast of Houston this morning, Flood Watch extended through 4 p.m. Friday

ABC13 Houston
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Ongoing Flooding Southeast of Houston this morning, Flood Watch extended through 4 p.m. Friday

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — It’s an active start this morning with multiple flood warnings and flood advisories southeast of Houston. That includes parts of Southeast Harris County, Chambers County, and Galveston County. The heaviest of the rain has been around Galveston Bay this morning.

Elsewhere, the Flood Watch for Houston and other parts of Southeast Texas has been extended until 4 p.m. Friday as high levels of tropical moisture remain overhead. We encourage you to stay weather aware because any heavy shower that pops up now through Saturday could lead to localized street flooding.

When will it finally dry out?

Not until after the weekend. Tropical moisture will linger overhead through Sunday, and that means rain chances will stay high with pockets of street flooding possible. The rain won’t be as widespread as what we experienced Thursday, but it will come down heavily where it does rain. The tropical moisture will be mostly gone by Monday, and that’s when rain chances will drop to 30% or less. Temperatures next will climb back toward the mid-90s as the sunshine returns, and there will probably be many swarms of mosquitoes coming for a neighborhood near you.

What are you tracking in the tropics?

Right now, we’re tracking plumes of Saharan dust, so no tropical development is expected over the next seven days. We are still seeing signs that the tropics could come back to life the first week of August. Head to our daily Tropical Update page for the latest on what’s happening in the tropics.

13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:

Southeast Texas

Houston

Harris County

Galveston County

Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties

Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties

Brazoria/Matagorda Counties

Southwest new seating policy: Airline plans to start assigning seats, breaking 50-year tradition

ABC13 Houston
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Southwest new seating policy: Airline plans to start assigning seats, breaking 50-year tradition

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines plans to drop its tradition of more than 50 years and start assigning seats and selling premium seating for customers who want more legroom.

The airline said Thursday that it has been studying seating options and is making the changes because passenger preferences have shifted. The moves could also generate revenue and boost financial performance.

Southwest made the announcement on the same day that both it and American Airlines reported a steep drop in second-quarter profit despite higher revenue.

Airlines are struggling with higher costs and reduced pricing power, especially on flights within the United States, as the industry adds flights faster than the growth in travel demand.

Southwest, based in Dallas, said its second-quarter profit fell 46% from a year earlier, to $367 million, as higher costs for labor, fuel and other expenses outstripped an increase in revenue. The results met Wall Street expectations.

American Airlines also reported a 46% drop in profit, to $717 million, and said it would break even in the third quarter – well below Wall Street expectations for the July-through-September period.

American “did not perform to our initial expectations” because of a since-abandoned sales strategy and an oversupply of domestic flights, CEO Robert Isom said. He said the airline was responding with a strategy that boosts profits and “makes it easy for customers to do business with American.”

Southwest has used an open-seating model since its founding, with passengers lining up to board, then choosing their own seat once they are on the airplane. But, the airline said, preferences have “evolved” – as more travelers take longer flights, they want an assigned seat.

The airline also said it will offer redeye flights for the first time.

Southwest said that its first overnight, redeye flights will land on Feb. 14, 2025 in nonstop markets that include Las Vegas to Baltimore and Orlando; Los Angeles to Baltimore and Nashville; and Phoenix to Baltimore. It plans to phase in additional redeye flights over time.

SEE ALSO: USDOT launches investigation into Delta as airline continues to cancel flights in wake of IT outage

The change in seating policy comes as Southwest is under pressure from Elliott Investment Management. The hedge fund argues that the airline lags rivals in financial performance and has failed to change with the times. It wants to replace CEO Robert Jordan and Chairman Gary Kelly.

Shares of all major airlines dipped before the opening bell Thursday. Southwest Airlines Co. fell 6% and American Airlines Group Inc. fell 7%. Delta, JetBlue and United slipped more than 1%.

Customers Thursday appeared to have mixed reaction to the news.

“They should have done this a long time ago,” Tawan Bosley said. “I can check in comfortable, and know I have a seat.”

While many Southwest loyalists are applauding the move, others are giving the announcement a thumbs down.

“Sometimes my friend will get called first, and she can save my seat. So, I like it when it’s first come, first served,” Esi Quartey said.

“I’m not too happy about it either. It’s one of the things that makes Southwest unique,” Kaycie Wilson said.

In a statement, Southwest said, “The research is clear and indicates that 80% of Southwest Customers, and 86% of potential Customers, prefer an assigned seat. When a Customer elects to stop flying with Southwest and chooses a competitor, open seating is cited as the number one reason for the change. By moving to an assigned seating model, Southwest expects to broaden its appeal and attract more flying from its current and future Customers.”

Patrcia Kuhl of Naperville is concerned the decision will affect cost.

“Prices are going up everywhere, and I know Southwest is trying to be competitive. But, if it means more price increase, it’s an issue for sure,” she said.

Southwest said it plans to begin bookings on assigned seating in 2025.

Kamala Harris delivers speech in Houston as her election campaign kicks off

Indira Zaldivar
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Kamala Harris delivers speech in Houston as her election campaign kicks off
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed hundreds of public education staff at the American Federation of Teachers Union convention in Houston on Thursday as her election campaign kicked off.
Credit: Edward Saenz / Que Onda Magazine.

By Indira Zaldivar & Edward Saenz

Houston  (Que Onda Magazine) – Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive new Democratic candidate for the upcoming presidential election, addressed hundreds of public education staff at the American Federation of Teachers Union convention in Houston on Thursday as her election campaign kicked off.

Kamala, immediately endorsed by President Joe Biden after the 81-year-old ended his presidential bid, outlined her campaign points before a crowd of more than 1,500 people at George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

“We are not going back,” Harris said in reference to calls to limit freedoms such as book banning, change public education’s curriculum including limiting teacher’s freedoms in the classroom, restricting reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and more.

“A proud product of public education,” Harris thanked AFT for being the first union to endorse her presidential bid. 

“It is because of Mrs. Wilson and so many teachers like her that I stand before you as vice president of the United States of America,” Harris said. “And that I am running to become president of the United States.”

The vice president condemned “a full-on attack on hard-won, hard-fought freedoms.”

“We want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books,” Harris said. “Can you imagine?”

“There are those who are really trying to take us backward,” she warned, referencing the Project 2025 policy agenda that drew boos from the crowd. 

Harris emphasized how this election comes down to choosing between “two very different visions.”

“A country of freedom, compassion and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear and hate?” she said. 

“The beauty of our democracy is that we each have the power to answer that question when we vote.”

If Harris is successful in her election campaign against former U.S. President Donald Trump, 59-year-old Harris would become the first woman, Indian American, second African American, elected to that position. 

The 2024 U.S. presidential election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.

“Our country faces a question,” Harris asked. “What kind of country do we want to live in?”

Boeing finalizes plea deal with DOJ over misleading FAA during 737 MAX evaluation

ABC13 Houston
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Boeing finalizes plea deal with DOJ over misleading FAA during 737 MAX evaluation
This picture taken on November 13, 2023 shows a view of the fuselage and one of the engines of a Boeing 777-9 jetliner aircraft on the tarmac during the 2023 Dubai Airshow at Dubai World Central – Al-Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

The Department of Justice and Boeing have finalized their plea agreement, the manufacturer will plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay a fine of $243.6 million, according to a court filing.

Boeing will also serve a three-year term of organizational probation; invest $455 million in compliance, quality and safety programs; and the board of directors will meet with the families of victims of the two MAX crashes. An independent compliance monitor will also be appointed.

This is not a done deal until it is approved by US District Judge Reed O’Connor in the Northern District of Texas, who can either approve the deal or reject it.

Picture Alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I

The Boeing company logo (Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)Picture Alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I

According to court documents, “the plea agreement will not provide Boeing with immunity for any other conduct, including any conduct that may be the subject of any ongoing or future Government investigation of the Company.”

In a statement, Boeing said, “Boeing and the Justice Department have filed a detailed plea agreement in federal court, which is subject to court approval. We will continue to work transparently with our regulators as we take significant actions across Boeing to further strengthen our safety, quality and compliance programs.”

Lawyers representing the families of MAX crash victims have voiced their displeasure to ABC News.

Paul Cassell, who represents 15 MAX crash victim families, said: “The proposed plea has all the problems in it that the families feared it would have. We will file a strong objection to the preferential and “sweetheart” treatment Boeing is receiving within seven days with Judge O’Connor. We will strongly urge him to reject this proposed plea.”

Mark Lindquist, who also represents victim families, said: “Most importantly this plea agreement fails to acknowledge that the charged crime of Conspiracy to Defraud caused the death of 346 people. This is a sore spot for victim families who want accountability and acknowledgment.

Boeing was accused of misleading the FAA about aspects of the Max before the agency certified the plane for flight. Boeing did not tell airlines and pilots about the new software system, called MCAS, that could turn the plane’s nose down without input from pilots if a sensor detected that the plane might go into an aerodynamic stall.

Max planes crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia after a faulty reading from the sensor pushed the nose down and pilots were unable to regain control. After the second crash, Max jets were grounded worldwide until the company redesigned MCAS to make it less powerful and to use signals from two sensors, not just one.

Court reporter says she filed judicial complaint against Judge Kelli Johnson after DWI arrest

ABC13 Houston
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Court reporter says she filed judicial complaint against Judge Kelli Johnson after DWI arrest

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Harris County District Judge Kelli Johnson’s court reporter, Gail A. Rolen, says she’s filed a judicial complaint following months of troubling behavior.

Rolen told Eyewitness News on Wednesday that she filed the complaint on July 11 because of a “significant decline in Judge Johnson’s behavior,” which she said predates her highly publicized April traffic stop and June DWI arrest.

Rolen has been Johnson’s official reporter for the 178th District Court since January 2017 and was there for high-profile trials, including that of A.J. Armstrong.

The complaint comes weeks after Johnson was arrested on a DWI charge when she reportedly admitted that she was on duloxetine, an antidepressant.

Records state the officer determined her to be under the influence of a controlled substance based on her slow movements, emotionless demeanor, and dilated pupils.

As ABC13 first reported, Johnson was absent from the 178th District Court for most of May.

Amanda Cain, communications director for the Administrative Office of the District Courts, initially told ABC13, “No comment,” when asked about the judge’s absence. Nine days later, though, she said, “Judge Johnson is out for personal matters.”

ABC13 broke the story of Judge Johnson’s April traffic stop in which Harris County deputies said they suspected her of DWI.

Although she failed parts of a field sobriety test in a dash camera video obtained exclusively by Eyewitness News, deputies determined she had passed enough of the test. Johnson was let go with a warning for speeding.

Rolen’s full statement to Eyewitness News can be read below:

“Since January of 2024 there has been a significant decline in Judge Johnson’s behavior both professionally and personally in and out of court.

Many professionals have been involved due to the nature of her actions and behavior. However, due to an ethical duty to protect the integrity of the judicial system, attorneys and their clients, as well as the public who elected her, I felt I had no alternative but to file a judicial complaint outlining the specifics of her conduct before the traffic stop and June arrest.

Her troubling behavior is ongoing, which has resulted in me filing FMLA to protect my job, until, or if, action will be taken by the Judicial Commission.”

ABC13 asked Johnson about the judicial complaint Wednesday.

“I have lots of comments, but I’m not gonna talk to Channel 13,” she responded.

ABC13 also reached out to the administrative judge, but she said she has no comment.

Kamala Harris in Houston on Thursday to speak at teachers union convention

Que Onda Editorial
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Kamala Harris in Houston on Thursday to speak at teachers union convention

Vice President Kamala Harris, who quickly has become the Democratic party’s presumptive nominee for president, will make a campaign stop in Houston on Thursday.

A White House statement says Harris will be in Houston to serve as the keynote speaker at the American Federation of Teachers national convention. Delegates for the teachers’ union voted Monday to endorse Harris’ bid to succeed President Joe Biden and become the first woman and second African American to serve as president of the United States.

Harris last visited Houston in November and was in Dallas earlier this month to deliver a keynote speech at an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority event.

The 81-year-old Biden announced Sunday he was ending his reelection bid after a poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump, the 78-year-old Republican nominee, and mounting pressure from fellow Democrats. Biden immediately endorsed Harris to be his successor, and the 59-year-old vice president has since rallied support from across the country.

Texas delegates to the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for next month in Chicago, voted Monday night to support Harris. So have delegates from other populous states, with a survey from the Associated Press showing Harris has secured enough support from party delegates to become its presidential nominee.

Delegates still have the option to vote for another Democratic candidate during next month’s convention, according to the AP.

Harris also has been endorsed by the Texas House Democratic Caucus, which includes state lawmakers from the Houston area.

Political scientist Cassandra Khatri of Lone Star College-University Park says the address could help her shore up support with unions ahead of the Democratic National Convention.

“Going towards unions is, especially teachers’ unions, is something that is pretty traditional for Democratic politics, and it helps sort of mobilize voters and consolidate power across the country,’” Khatri said. 

Khatri says Harris is also likely to use her visit to meet with state and local Democratic leaders to gauge the groundwork laid by President Biden’s campaign.

“It’s more about shoring up the support of interest groups that would help her to go a long way to being successful at actually clinching the nomination once the convention is held.”

Gen Z is ‘coconuts’ for Kamala: Experts explain how social media could impact 2024 election

ABC13 Houston
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Gen Z is ‘coconuts’ for Kamala: Experts explain how social media could impact 2024 election

SAN FRANCISCO — Young voters are keeping up with political news on social media and the emergence of Vice President Kamala Harris as a likely presidential nominee is generating memes and references that are going viral.

Marianna Pecora is the communications director for Voters of Tomorrow, a Gen Z-led organization reaching out to young voters on social media where Vice President Kamala Harris so far appears to be trending after pop artist Charli XCX called Harris the embodiment of “brat” spirit. “Brat” is the title of her latest album, hailed as a soundtrack for young feminists.

The campaign’s Instagram account is on theme, with Brat neon green.

MORE: ‘Kamala IS brat’: How Kamala Harris’ campaign is embracing the memes

“If this idea of brat wasn’t something people could see in her, it wouldn’t have become an Internet sensation right?” Pecora said. “That same part of her that can go up on a stage with the anecdote about falling out of a coconut tree and giggling about it in the middle of a speech, that energy, that willingness to do that is what makes her brat.”

Harris gave the speech last year referencing what her mother used to tell her. Harris said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?”

“The fact that these memes are getting such positive engagement right now means this is a conversation young people are going to be having with each other,” Pecora said.

MORE: Beyoncé gives Kamala Harris permission to use her song ‘Freedom’ for presidential campaign

That’s backed up by political science professor Melinda Jackson at San Jose State University. She said, “I think social media is definitely the primary source of most information, including political information for Gen Z. I think the smart thing for the Harris campaign to do is get some young Gen Z folks to be working the social media channels.”

Jackson also thinks the misinformation circulating on social media puts the responsibility on users to filter out fake news. “We are making more of an effort here at the college level and I think this is happening in high schools as well, to talk about how to verify information, how to fact, check, how to distinguish good information from bad,” Jackson said.

This newfound enthusiasm online could translate to voter turnout.

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