Lucio R. for Borderland Beat with material from Reforma, Radio Forula, and Borderland Beat archives
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After his dramatic tunnel escape from Altiplano, Mexico’s most secure prison, the controversial meeting in the sierras with actors Sean Penn and Kate Castillo, and his dramatic sewer recapture, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, premier leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel says, he will not fight extradition, and in fact wants the U.S. to take him as quickly as possible.
El Chapo’s attorney, Jose Refugio Rodriguez says it is because of the torturous treatment imposed on Chapo, by prison authorities, that he will take his chances with the U.S. prison system.
"I talked to him and asked me, no, begged me to look as quickly as possible in processing the extradition, because the situation is intolerable, and he can no longer stand living here", says Rodriguez. “Extradition takes time, and the fear is that under the conditions Chapo faces in Altiplano, he may die before extradition is granted.”
“For him, extradition is a way to escape the torment of his treatment while in prison.”
Chapo’s wife Emma Coronel, (below left) in an interview with Radio Formula, says that she and her husband do not consider this a victory for the government of Mexico. She claims the Mexican government intends to kill Chapo after he reveals “all he knows.” She reiterated that she and her daughters are American citizens. She revealed in her television interview, that she intends to follow him to the United States when he is extradited.
The chief of federal prisons, Eduardo Guerrero Duran, denied that "El Chapo" Guzman is being subjected to a violation of his human rights; he stated that per protocol, he is awaken every four hours for inspection to confirm his presence.
In addition, he said, the drug trafficker is not in a "spa".
"We must be aware that he has escaped twice from a high security prison, there will not be a third time he flees, and he is in a prison, not a spa" Guerrero said in an interview.
“But, if you want to take your chances in the land of Trump, we do not believe there is much objection.
Last week Rodriguez stated that he and US attorney William Stuttgart, discussed the details of what legal way is better follow to benefit his client.
Rodriguez said that he heard "rumors" that soon the US authorities will present new charges against "El Chapo" in the District Courts of New York and Chicago, where the leader of the Sinaloa cartel will face the strongest accusations and therefore, he would most likely be sent to one of those two states rather than California and Texas.
As of last week, Joaquin Guzman had not yet entered into a contact with Stuttgart to represent him in US territory, said Rodriquez last week. He said he and El Chapo are consulting with the attorney, and taking into account the advice of the American defense attorney.
The goal would be to negotiate "a sentence that is not too long, a reasonable sentence," with the United States, as well as imprisonment at "a medium-security prison that does not have conditions like the ones here in Mexico," Rodriguez said.
"It's through him that we've seen that, instead of going to trial in the United States, ... we should negotiate," Rodriguez said, noting that the defense's strategy would be to get the best possible conditions for his client instead of fighting it out in court.
However the attorney indicated they are consulting with two other American attorneys, one of whom came forward and offered their services. He did not mention the names of those attorneys being considered.