Mexican drug kingpin files an injunction
in order to stop
his extradition to the United States
Reuters reported that on Monday Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman’s lawyers filed an injunction in order to stop his extradition to the United States.
Guzman is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international drug trafficking ring. Reuters reported that Guzman is wanted in 54 countries and he faces charges in the states of Illinois, New York, Florida, and Texas.
Guzman had been on the run since his escape from a Mexican prison in 2001. After a joint military effort by the Mexican Marines and the United States Intelligence agencies, Guzman was captured last Friday, February 22, 2014.
During an interview on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Rep. Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told host Wolf Blitzer that he believes there is corruption in Mexico and that “Shorty” should be extradited to the United States.
McCaul said, “My concern though Wolf, is to be quite frank, is the fact that El Chapo Guzman has already escaped a Mexican prison in 2001.
He was given a sentence of 20 years, which is not what he deserves. We had another drug lord, just last year, to escape prison with the judges’ help. The fact is that corruption is still prevalent down there.
I believe the best thing for both countries would be to extradite him to the United States and put him in a super max prison where he can’t escape, but where he will also face justice and get the maximum penalty for what he has done.”
McCaul told Blitzer that the maximum penalty would be life in prison. Edgardo Buscaglia, a cartel expert and scholar at Columbia University, told CBS News that extradition is the best option.
However, Buscaglia also warned that extradition could provide a way for Mexico to “escape” the responsibility it has to prosecute alleged criminals like Guzman.
CBS quoted Buscaglia as saying, “The only option that would allow for dismantling this criminal network is extradition, and that’s unfortunate. Because in the end, extraditions are an escape valve for Mexico.”
Guzman is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international drug trafficking ring. Reuters reported that Guzman is wanted in 54 countries and he faces charges in the states of Illinois, New York, Florida, and Texas.
Guzman had been on the run since his escape from a Mexican prison in 2001. After a joint military effort by the Mexican Marines and the United States Intelligence agencies, Guzman was captured last Friday, February 22, 2014.
During an interview on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Rep. Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told host Wolf Blitzer that he believes there is corruption in Mexico and that “Shorty” should be extradited to the United States.
McCaul said, “My concern though Wolf, is to be quite frank, is the fact that El Chapo Guzman has already escaped a Mexican prison in 2001.
He was given a sentence of 20 years, which is not what he deserves. We had another drug lord, just last year, to escape prison with the judges’ help. The fact is that corruption is still prevalent down there.
I believe the best thing for both countries would be to extradite him to the United States and put him in a super max prison where he can’t escape, but where he will also face justice and get the maximum penalty for what he has done.”
McCaul told Blitzer that the maximum penalty would be life in prison. Edgardo Buscaglia, a cartel expert and scholar at Columbia University, told CBS News that extradition is the best option.
However, Buscaglia also warned that extradition could provide a way for Mexico to “escape” the responsibility it has to prosecute alleged criminals like Guzman.
CBS quoted Buscaglia as saying, “The only option that would allow for dismantling this criminal network is extradition, and that’s unfortunate. Because in the end, extraditions are an escape valve for Mexico.”
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