Mexico judge halts drug lord’s extradition order

At the time, Mexican authorities asserted their sovereignty in first prosecuting Guzman for crimes in Mexico, despite U.S. officials’ concerns that the drug kingpin would escape from a Mexican prison as he had earlier done in 2001.

According to a Dominican newspaper, over 100 Interpol agents have carried out a range of operations in different tourist attractions in the north and east of the country as part of the search for Guzman, who escaped from a Mexican maximum security prison.

The judge granted the suspension after Guzman’s lawyers filed a petition on Wednesday to throw out the extradition order issued by another court, judicial sources said.

“During the analysis conducted by the attorney general, it was verified that the application meets the requirements established by the extradition treaty between the two countries and the requirements mandated by the Mexican legislation”, the statement said.

Previously, Mexico’s former attorney general boasted that it would take “hundreds” of years before Mexico would agree to send Guzman to the United States to face charges, arguing Mexico was capable of handling his detention.

The U.S. government is offering a reward of 5 million U.S. dollars for anyone with details leading ot the capture of Guzman.

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is escorted to a helicopter in handcuffs by Mexican navy marines at a navy hangar in Mexico City on Saturday, February 22, 2014.

This month’s jailbreak was El Chapo’s second – he escaped in 2001. “Guzman “would clash” against the country’s security system”, said Halleslevens.