Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán: Difference between revisions
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On April 18, 2009 in the state of Durango, Roman Catholic Archbishop Hector Gonzalez announced over the weekend that the fugitive drug trafficker "Was living nearby and everyone knows it except the authorities, who just don't happen to see him for some reason" he added. A shocking revelation indeed. But in Durango, most local newspapers and television stations declined to report the comments, and for some reason national papers that contained the remarks did not appear on many newsstands. Many praised his very blunt suggestion that the federal government was either too corrupt or was unable to capture Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. However, things did turn nasty after the Archbishop’s comments. A couple of days later two military officers were found dead near a bullet-riddled car in the same area the archibishop claimed El Chapo lived in. It is believed that the officers, who were dressed in civilian clothes, were working undercover in the area when they were abducted and executed. They were found with their hands tied and their eyes covered with tape. They had been shot a number of times by AK-47 rounds. A message was left near them: “You'll never get El Chapo, not the priests, not the government." |
On April 18, 2009 in the state of Durango, Roman Catholic Archbishop Hector Gonzalez announced over the weekend that the fugitive drug trafficker "Was living nearby and everyone knows it except the authorities, who just don't happen to see him for some reason" he added. A shocking revelation indeed. But in Durango, most local newspapers and television stations declined to report the comments, and for some reason national papers that contained the remarks did not appear on many newsstands. Many praised his very blunt suggestion that the federal government was either too corrupt or was unable to capture Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. However, things did turn nasty after the Archbishop’s comments. A couple of days later two military officers were found dead near a bullet-riddled car in the same area the archibishop claimed El Chapo lived in. It is believed that the officers, who were dressed in civilian clothes, were working undercover in the area when they were abducted and executed. They were found with their hands tied and their eyes covered with tape. They had been shot a number of times by AK-47 rounds. A message was left near them: “You'll never get El Chapo, not the priests, not the government." |
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While El Chapo remained free, on May 29, 2009 the Mexican army captured Guzmán's top lieutenant, Roberto "El Doctor" Beltrán Burgos, in Culiacán, Sinaloa. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 03:30, 30 May 2009
 |
Joaquín Guzmán | |
|---|---|
| File:Juaquin Guzman-Loera.jpg | |
| Born | April 4, 1957 |
| Other names | El Chapo |
| Occupation | Drug trafficker |
| Known for | Sinaloa Cartel drug lord |
| Height | 1.52 m (5 ft) |
| Title | The Boss |
| Partner(s) | Ismael Zambada Garcia, Ignacio Coronel-Villareal |
| Notes | |
Joaquín Guzmán Loera, (born April 4, 1957), nicknamed "El Chapo" (Spanish: "Shorty") is a Mexican drug lord, who heads an international drug trafficking organization referred to as the Sinaloa Cartel, named after the Mexican pacific coast state of Sinaloa where it was initially formed. He became Mexico's top drug kingpin in 2003 after the arrest of his rival Osiel Cardenas of the Gulf Cartel. During the 1980s, Guzmán was associated with Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (known as El Padrino, or The Godfather), head of the dominant drug trafficking group in Mexico at that time. After Félix Gallardo's capture, Guzman left the organization and soon gained notoriety as director of his own criminal enterprise.[4] Guzmán is wanted by the governments of Mexico, U.S.A. and by the INTERPOL;[5] so far he has evaded operations to capture him.
In 2009, Joaquin Guzman was listed at 701 on Forbes' list of wealthiest people in the world with an estimated net worth of $1 billion.[6][7]
Mode of operations
Guzmán is well known for his use of sophisticated tunnels—similar to the one located in Douglas, Arizona—to smuggle cocaine from Mexico into the United States in the early 1990s. In 1993 a 7.3 ton shipment of his cocaine, concealed in cans of chili peppers and destined for the United States, was seized in Tecate, Baja California.
Controversies
Murder of cardinal
In May 1993, members of the rival Tijuana Cartel coordinated a failed attempt to assassinate Guzmán in the Guadalajara, Jalisco airport, which resulted in the much publicized murder of the prominent Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo. Police believe that Tijuana Cartel gunmen thought Guzmán Loera was in the car, and the Cardinal was shot instead. At about the same time, an even more sophisticated tunnel that stretched from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico to the Otay Mesa, California area was discovered. The following month, Guzman-Loera was arrested in Mexico on homicide and drug charges.
Escape from Mexico
Guzman was captured in Guatemala on June 9, 1993 and extradited to Mexico; he was then transferred to the CERESO No. 2 prison located in El Crucero D. STA. Maria, Jalisco and Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco , where he was serving a 20 year sentence for criminal association and bribery. The police say Guzman carefully masterminded his escape plan, wielding influence over almost everyone in the prison, including the facility's director. He allegedly had the prison guards on his payroll, smuggled contraband into the prison and received preferential treatment from the staff.[8] A few days before he was due to be extradited to the United States, Guzman bribed several guards and on January 19, 2001, he escaped, apparently hidden inside a laundry van; according to officials, seventy-eight people have been implicated in his escape plan. Guzman quickly regained control of the Sinaloa Cartel, and in an effort to cut down competitors, namely, the Gulf Cartel, the Juárez Cartel and the Tijuana Cartel, on the U.S.-Mexico border, created the chaos that led President Vicente Fox to deploy the Mexican army and federal police on the streets of Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros in June 2005.
Recent appearances
2004
In November 2004, 300 paratroopers swooped on Guzmán's Sierra Madre stronghold in Black Hawk helicopters. His voice had been heard on a tapped phone line half an hour earlier; he eluded capture. On December 20, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced a US$5,000,000 reward for information leading to Guzmán's arrest and prosecution.[1][9]
2005
On February 15, 2005, Guzman's son, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, was arrested in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico.[10] He was sentenced to 5 years in a federal prison, but was released in April 2008 after a Mexican federal judge declared the case was lacking evidence. In June 2005, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested his brother, two nephews and a niece. They also seized nine houses and six vehicles. They failed, however, to capture Guzmán.
Guzmán reportedly strolled into a carborca sonora restaurant called " Las Tostadas Sirverias" which is located in the center of Nuevo Laredo, with a fleet of bodyguards. After taking his seat, his men collected the cell phones of approximately forty diners and instructed them to not be alarmed. After eating he dropped a handful of hundred-dollar bills on the table and walked to the door. He turned around and said, "Order what you want, and I'll pay," and went on his way. So far as of April 2009, no other Drug lord has done what "El Chapo" did that day and many other times. His supporters in Mexico claim that he doesn't harm anyone and he is a gentlemen with the women, but he is always armed with high caliber weapons for self-protection only.[11][12]
2007
March 17, Mexican federal agents seized USD $205.6 million, and $157,500 pesos (approx. USD $14,100 at the time), in a mansion in Mexico City belonging to Joaquin Guzman.
On August 2, two of the Mexican federal agents who took part in the raid were found beaten and shot to death in southern Mexico.[citation needed]
In November 2007, Guzmán was married in Canelas, Durango, Mexico.[13]
That same month, Guzmán was reportedly seen in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, repeating the restaurant appearance he had in Nuevo Laredo.[12]
2008
In March 2008, the Guatemalan government reported that Guzmán may have been tied to a gun battle in their country that left ten gunmen dead. Three days later, the Honduran government reported that they were investigating whether he was hiding out in Honduras.[14]
In May 2008, Édgar Guzmán López, Joaquin's son was found dead along with Arturo Meza Cázares (Blanca Margarita "Cázares Salazar's son), "La Emperatriz" (The Empress), in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.
2009
Guzman makes Forbes billionaire list, ranking in at #701.
On April 18, 2009 in the state of Durango, Roman Catholic Archbishop Hector Gonzalez announced over the weekend that the fugitive drug trafficker "Was living nearby and everyone knows it except the authorities, who just don't happen to see him for some reason" he added. A shocking revelation indeed. But in Durango, most local newspapers and television stations declined to report the comments, and for some reason national papers that contained the remarks did not appear on many newsstands. Many praised his very blunt suggestion that the federal government was either too corrupt or was unable to capture Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. However, things did turn nasty after the Archbishop’s comments. A couple of days later two military officers were found dead near a bullet-riddled car in the same area the archibishop claimed El Chapo lived in. It is believed that the officers, who were dressed in civilian clothes, were working undercover in the area when they were abducted and executed. They were found with their hands tied and their eyes covered with tape. They had been shot a number of times by AK-47 rounds. A message was left near them: “You'll never get El Chapo, not the priests, not the government."
While El Chapo remained free, on May 29, 2009 the Mexican army captured Guzmán's top lieutenant, Roberto "El Doctor" Beltrán Burgos, in Culiacán, Sinaloa.
References
- ^ a b "Reward notice".
- ^ "Mexico's most wanted traffickers, at $2 million". Associated Press. March 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "www.forbes.com/lists/2009/10/billionaires-2009-richest-people_Joaquin-Guzman-Loera_FS0Y.html".
- ^ "Colombian drugs lord extradited to US". BBC News. September 8, 2001.
- ^ "GUZMAN LOERA buscado por la INTERPOL". INTERPOL. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
- ^ "Mexico drug lord on Forbes rich list with $1 bln". Reuters. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
- ^ "The World's Billionaires #701 Joaquin Guzman Loera". Forbes. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
- ^ "Guzman Escapes".
- ^ "Reward poster".
- ^ "www2.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia.html?id_nota=9498&tabla=miami".
- ^ "BBC NEWS".
{{cite web}}: Text "Americas" ignored (help); Text "Gang wars plague Mexican drugs hub" ignored (help) - ^ a b Valdez, Javier (December 11, 2007). "A SETTLING OF ACCOUNTS; EL CHAPO GUZMAN HAS DINNER IN A CULIACAN RESTAURANT". Border Reporter. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Revista Proceso, Mexico DF, 2007
- ^ [1]
See also
- Mexican drug war
- Juarez Cartel
- Sinaloa Cartel
- Gulf Cartel
- Tijuana Cartel
- Drug lord
- Mérida Initiative