Federal Judge emits a "favourable opinion" for the extradition of "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Sinembargo article

Subject Matter: Extradition of El Chapo Guzman.
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

The Council of the Federal Judiciary detailed that Jaoquin Guzman Loera is subject to " the fourth process supervening CR 95-0973-B, also referred to with the cause numbers 95-973-B, 95-0973-B and 95-1911M, before the Federal District Court, of South California, United States of  America, for the charge of criminal association in order to import and posses with the intent to distribute cocaine".

Reporter: Sinembargo Redaction
A Federal Judge emitted a " favourable opinion" for the extradition to the United States of Joaquin Guzman Loera "El Chapo".

A Council of the National Judiciary detailed, in a communication, that " a Judge of the Third District of Penal Processes in the City of Mexico, in the extradition proceeding 3/2001, that the opinion of the Judiciary, in relation to article 27 of International Extradition Law, is to proceed with the international extradition of Joaquin Guzman Loera, as required by the Government of the United States of America, from their Mexican Embassy.




The Council of the Federal Judiciary detailed that Jaoquin Guzman Loera is subject to " the fourth process supervening CR 95-0973-B, also referred to with the cause numbers 95-973-B, 95-0973-B and 95-1911M, before the Federal District Court, of South California, United States of  America, for the charge of criminal association in order to import and posses with the intent to distribute cocaine".

The Council of the Judiciary had said the former, "in virtue of considering complete, the established requisites in the extradition treaty agreed between the United States of Mexico and the United States of America".

The Secretary of Exterior Relations now has 20 days to determine if to grant the extradition, or not, of Guzman. The capo's defense team can promote an amparo judgment to challenge his move, this could postpone by weeks or months, the transfer of the capo to United States authorities.

Guzman first was notified of the determination of the Judge on Sunday night, the associated press was told that a judicial authority, who he was not authorized to identify because of internal policies, prevent you from giving details of processes that are in course.

Guzman, considered  the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was suddenly transferred on Saturday from the maximum security prison "Altiplano" to Juarez Cefereso #9 closer to the border with the United States, even though the Government has said that he was not moved due to the extradition process, but because of measures to upgrade the security of "Altiplano".

Guzman's lawyer, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, said to the AP that the Government would seek to hide his extradition, "that is their legal strategy", he commented via telephone. He also said that once the Foreign Ministry resolved the extradition, the defense has 30 days to promote the amparo.

Also, Rodriguez said that they will seek to have Guzman returned to "Altiplano", under the argument that the transfer at the weekend affects his proper defense, in due course, because the Judge who is dealing with their process is not near the prison where the capo is now being held.

Guzman Loera was transferred from "Altiplano", in the State of Mexico, to the Federal prison in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, on the morning of this Saturday passed, " as part of the security strategy implemented in September", in that they have rotated more than 7,400 inmates in all of the country, according to the Secretary of the Government.

Yesterday, El Chapo's lawyer, Andres Granados said to Univision, that the day of the transfer the capo didn't understand what was happening, nobody had given him an explanation. His only thought was that the day of his extradition to the United States had finally arrived.

" I thought that I was going to go and eat hamburgers", Joaquin Guzman Loera jokingly said on Sunday to Andres Granados.

Granados related the conversation that he had with his client, Guzman Loera, after being transferred to the Ciudad Juarez prison: " he said to me that they arrived in the morning, and that they said to him " we are going to get revenge here". They took him from his cell, they handcuffed him and took him away. When they were leaving he heard the helicopters and he said to himself " now I will be extradited". Until he arrived here, first at Ciudad Juarez Airport and then a transfer to Cefereso #9".

Original article in Spanish at Sinembargo