Mexico says formally starting extradition process against Guzman

However, the extradition of “El Chapo” to the U.S. is by no means a foregone conclusion, the BBC’s Katy Watson in Mexico City reports. The world’s most wanted drug lord was recaptured by Mexi…

(Kiko Guerrero via AP/EL DEBATE). It was purportedly held at an undisclosed hideout in northern Mexico in late 2015, several months before Guzman’s recapture Friday in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, after six months on the run. Many called for his arrest in what they called aiding and abetting a drug king lord and prison escapee.

Before the interview came to light, two USA law enforcement officials had said tracking of cell phones and electronic exchanges of people close to him led to his recapture.

Authorities said Guzman would have three days to file objections to the extradition request and 20 more days to prove them, although the timeframe could be deferred.

“We see a heroin epidemic, opioid addiction epidemic in this country”, he said.

Guzman’s lawyer, Juan Pablo Badillo, has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court if necessary. “In this case our country’s national sovereignty must be respected, the sovereignty of its judicial institutions”.

Guzman was re-apprehended after a shootout between gunmen and Mexican marines at the home in Los Mochis, a seaside city in Guzman’s home state of Sinaloa. 5 suspects were killed and 6 others arrested. One marine was injured.

According to the daily La Jornada, the organized crime division of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (PGR) “opened a preliminary probe to investigate the USA film actor and director Sean Penn and the actress Kate del Castillo…in relation to the crime of concealment, since they were aware that Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was a fugitive from justice and nevertheless met with him without notifying Mexican authorities of the meeting”.

But in his bombshell article for Rolling Stone on Saturday, Penn wrote that a lawyer for Guzman contacted her after reading her statement on Twitter.

The interview with Chapo, intermediated by Kate del Castillo, a well-known Mexican soap actress, is not going over well with the entire Hollywood community, however. The photo was taken for authentication purposes.

Actor Sean Penn is facing criticism for his October interview with escaped drug kingpin El Chapo, but a criminal conviction is unlikely, some legal experts say.

Penn has admitted he feared he was being monitored as he flew to Mexico to meet Guzman, for an interview published by Rolling Stone this week. Guzman was able to escape via storm drains and exited a manhole in the street.

The U.S. government wants Guzman, who is believed to be 58 years old, tried on charges ranging from money laundering to drug trafficking, kidnapping and murder.