Notorious cartel kingpin El Chapo begs Mexico to free him from ‘cruel’ US prison
Former cartel boss Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has pleaded for Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to intervene because of the “cruel and unfair” conditions at his high-security prison in the United States.
The ex Sinaloa cartel leader has been incarcerated since 2017 and was sent to a super-max federal prison in Colorado after being sentenced to a life plus 30 years sentence in 2019.
Guzman was convicted of a string of drug and money laundering charges, but is now unhappy with conditions.
Among his gripes are that he has only been allowed to make six phone calls since March 2022, his lack of time outdoors and that he “doesn't get to see the son”.
El Chapo has reportedly asked authorities to allow him to serve his sentence in Mexico.
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El Chapo was head of the notorious Sinaloa cartel (Eduardo Verdugo/AP/REX/Shutterstock)The New York Post, citing Mexico News Daily, reported that Guzman’s lawyer said that his teeth had been pulled out by prison guards when he complained of toothache.
“He doesn’t see the sun, the food is of very bad quality, there is no health care,” attorney Jose Refugio Rodriguez told reporters.
“He had a problem with his molars and instead of treating them, they took them out so he wouldn’t fuss,” Rodriguez said.
“He is hurting in a trial that was not in accordance with due process.”
Guzman is kept in isolation, with his conditions described as “physical torture” by his lawyer.
Rodriguez said he considers Guzman’s pleas “an SOS” for help but Lopez Obrador did not indicate he would be intervening.
NDTV reports that the Mexican embassy in Washington confirmed on Twitter on Tuesday that it received an email from Rodriguez on January 10.
The ADX super-max prison in Florence, Colorado (Robert Daemmrich)Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard downplayed any suggestion of government intervention without referring directly to the email.
"He is serving a sentence there, he has a sentence," he told journalists. "So, frankly I don't see any possibilities for him, but I'm going to review it with the prosecutor's office."
Guzman's attempt to overturn his federal conviction was denied last year.
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Earlier this month, Guzman's son was arrested on suspicion of drug-related charges in an explosive operation carried out by heavily-armed Mexico City federal authorities.
Ovidio Guzman, 32, had been identified as one of the main producers and distributors of fentanyl and was detained during an operation carried out in the community of Jesus María.
Reports and images on social media suggested a shoot-out took place before the arrest, while parts of the city were blocked off by armed police and burning vehicles were blocking several exits from the city.
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