Fox News Latino
File Photo, Oct. 23, 2011. Mexico's President Felipe Calderon attended the inauguration ceremony of the XXI Iberoamerican summit in Asuncion, Paraguay. On Nov. 2, 2011, he missed the Forbes' Most Powerful People in the World list
It seems reputed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán has gotten the best of Felipe Calderón again – this time, cracking the list of the world's most powerful people while the Mexican president missed the cut.
The billionaire leader of the Sinaloa cartel was named the 55th most powerful on the planet by Forbes magazine, which annually compiles the list. Calderón was on the outside looking in – even though his Brazilian counterpart, Dilma Rousseff, and the world's richest man and his countryman, Carlos Slim, made the list.
The drug trafficker dropped 14 places from two years ago when he sat 41st, right behind Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Guzmán and the Sinaloa cartel, along with the rival Zetas cartel, have been blamed for much of the violence in Mexico, which ramped up when Calderón declared a war on organized crime shortly after taking office in 2006.
Since then around 40,000 people have been killed in the ensuing violence.
The Sinaloa cartel leader has remained a shadowy figure, despite being ranked as the 937th richest man in the world by Forbes in 2010. Since his 1993 escape from prison, Guzmán has eluded Mexican authorities by hiding deep in the mountains near Mexico’s Pacific coast and surrounding himself with a large retinue of bodyguards.
The United States has placed a $5 million bounty on Guzmán’s head and allege that the “world’s most wanted man” is responsible for the majority of cocaine and marijuana entering the U.S. from Mexico and Colombia.
President Calderón has been roundly criticized for his government’s actions in the drug war, the war’s enormous body count and the fact that Guzmán is still not in custody. With the next year’s presidential elections fast approaching, there is concern within Calderón’s conservative National Action Party (PAN by its Spanish-language acronym) that his legacy could hurt the party’s chances of victory against the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) that ruled the country for seven decades prior to 2000.
The other two Latin Americans on the list posted much higher than Guzmán; Rousseff ranked 22nd, and Slim was one spot behind her.
Rousseff’s star has risen since her inauguration as the BRIC-country leader back in January. In September she became the first woman to open the United Nations General Assembly and she has become a major player in the debate over the global financial crisis, warning Europe against harsh austerity plans.
Two notable Latin American leaders who had been on the list last time but failed to make the cut this year were Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez and former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, both of whom are currently being treated for cancer.
Based on reporting by Forbes.
First of all, La Jornada, which is the only independent newspaper in Mexico, has counted 50,000 deaths so the "around 40,000" stuff is getting old. Secondly, is it any wonder El Chapo is more powerful than Calderon when Calderon lets the Sinaloa Cartel run amuck and gives them military support?
ReplyDeleteNovember 4, 2011 11:03 PM Are you trying to say Calderon is giving Chapo military support?
ReplyDeleteIf you are that will mean that the Mexican government has spent 20 billion dollars in five years helping Chapo.
If you think that, then you defiantly need to grow up.
@ 11:48
ReplyDeleteIf you don't believe the gov would help chapo ur crazy! Its no stretch. How do u think they operated for decades? Crooked politicos
November 4, 2011 11:38 PM If you are talking about the old administration I do believe it, but not during Calderon's administration.
ReplyDeleteCalderon's administration has killed or capture 20 of the 35 capos, not to mention it has arrested hundreds of corrupted officials and spent 20 billion dollars chasing this criminals and you people are still accuse him of working for Chapo Guzman.
If that is the case, than I will have to say U.S has protected many criminals as well.
41st...55th...what does it matter? El Chapo is loaded, monetarily set for life, obviously very intelligent, and by any measurement a resounding success in his career and "field". Wonder why he just doesn't retire. But then again, how do you "retire" if you are Mr. Guzman? What's the "exit strategy for the world's most powerful Cartel Capo?
ReplyDeletethere is no exit strategy. He already said that he would never go back to jail. "Live by the sword, die by the sword!" There will be plenty of fireworks if they even get close to him. So sad, all that money just to live your life paranoid and always looking over your shoulder. Never knowing who you can trust.
ReplyDelete@9:40 yes the U.S has protected criminals look at that irish mobster who had the FBI protecting him as he went around killing or CIA officials secret meetings with Sinaloa cartel and Juarez cartel bosses not to mention ATF arming Sinaloa cartel, La Familia Michoacana, and the Zetas
ReplyDeleteI don't think Mexico wants to ge rid of its "problem". They actually enjoy being the joke of the Americas. They let this midget shit all over them. Then they catch a few gangbangers and display them as a significant blow to the drug trade! The Sinaloa cartel is not the most powerful DTO by luck or having an intelligent boss. Its the politicians and bankers that control this cartel. Not Chapo or Mayo or any other FARMER.
ReplyDelete@11:03pm
ReplyDeleteCan you point me to a source that confirms that Calderon is providing military support to Guzman? Why did the military kill Coronel (oh and don't come out with the now debunked theory that Guzman ratted him out)? Why is the military getting into fire fights with CDS members? Why was zambada arrested and extradited to the US? I really doubt Guzman is even in Mexico.
November 5, 2011 2:18 PM I don't think Mexico wants to get rid of its "problem". They actually enjoy being the joke of the Americas.
ReplyDeleteIf Mexico is the joke of the Americas, then what the U.S.A was when trying to kill Osama Bin Laden for ten long years.
We are talking about the most powerful country with the best technology, best equipped, best trained soldiers in the world.
Are you trying to tell me the U.S were toying around with Osama Bin Laden? It was not only the U.S.A after this guy in a country with a Population of 28,395,716 and $15.541 billion dollars a year production.
A coalition of 50 countries attack Afghanistan and 10 years later the war is still ongoing, you guys in the U.S are not a joke so I guess you are just having fun in Afghanistan.
I'm sorry to inform some of you that kidnapping, extortion, slavery, torture, narco terrorism and mass murder do not make you a great businessman. It makes you a demonic possessed paranoid maniac. Chapo, with all the wealth he has accumulated, is wondering, is today the day I get it?
ReplyDeleteIf the US govt dropped the ridiculous rules of engagement, those wars would have been over in days not years. Ask any SPec ops person.
ReplyDelete11/5 6:44PM,
ReplyDeleteSo, the fact that Chapo escaped from a maximum security prison in MEXICO back in 1993, along with the fact that he's been spotted on numerous occasions..I would say Mexico's efforts to apprehend Chapo are a JOKE! You talk about the US's efforts in Afghanistan..ten years to kill Bin Landen..well Chapo has been roaming Mexico for 18 years!!! since his escape..and he has never left the fucking country...lol...and we are not talking he's held up in some cave with very inhospitable terrain..he returned back to his home state!!
BTW..even the Russians (former Soviet Union) hand their ass' handed to them in Afghanistan back in the '80s. You want to know..why? because the US made it so..The US' failed policies in Afghanistan have more to do with political decision making than actual technical fighting..to much red tape..to much trying to win the hearts and minds of foreigners but you wouldn't know that..well because your Mexican!
November 6, 2011 4:16 AM but you wouldn't know that..well because your Mexican!
ReplyDeleteSays who? The U.S. citizen who is quick to point a finger and criticized other with no evidence on hand.
Ustedes los güeros son muy listos y tan inteligentes que saben todo sobre el mundo.
Don't forget U.S was on the hunt for Bin Laden since 1993 and the U.S is the most powerful country in the world. You people are the most intelligent, and still with a coalition of 50 countries 10 years later you are still trying to kill real dangerous farmers with no technology. Yo gringos are to cocky with you big sign that reads BE NICE TO U.S.A OR WE WILL BRING DEMOCRACY TO YOUR COUNTRY. You say Afghanistan defeated the Russians but I think it was the Russians economical instability, you güeros are 14 trillion in the hole and soon China will be the next super power.
This article tells me much more about FORBES than Chapo. Criminals are only powerful in limited ways and should not be compaired to Honest free world people uho followed the laws.
ReplyDelete4:16..please do your homework before commenting,guzman escaped in 2001,not 1993!!
ReplyDelete@November 6, 2011 4:16 AM
ReplyDeleteSeriously do your homework!! "So, the fact that Chapo escaped from a maximum security prison in MEXICO back in 1993" Really jajajajajaja. Maybe you should go back and read the article or better yet before you open your mouth. Try to google: El Chapo Guzman before you make yourself look like the biggest idiot on this page jaja.
BTW The US was looking for Bin Laden since 1998 for the embassy bombing in Kenya and Tanzania. So how long did it take the US?
but you wouldn't know your own history..well because your an American! jaja
muchas gracias 11:20,for setting this character straight.i have noticed that alot of commentators in this forum have their info very twisted.in-accurate.the media will mislead you at times,so please everyone,dont believe everything you read here.
ReplyDelete