Mexico Reaffirms it Will Not Extradite Drug Kingpin El Chapo Guzman to US Dolia Estevez - Forbes
go to original April 18, 2014

After a top Sinaloa Cartel “narco junior” secretly pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court and is now cooperating with U.S. authorities, Mexico’s Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam reaffirmed that Mexico has “no intention” of extraditing drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán to the U.S., where he faces criminal charges.

According to the Mexican press, Murillo Karam said he disapproves of U.S. prosecutors “reaching deals with criminals,” as they secretly did last year with Jesús Vicente “El Vicentillo” Zambada Niebla. Vicentillo is the 39-year old son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, long considered No. 2 in the Sinaloa Cartel and now believed to be the new King after Guzmán’s arrest in February.

In a surprising plea bargain, reached a year ago and unsealed by a U.S. District Court in Chicago on April 4, Vicentillo admitted that he coordinated shipments of tons of cocaine and heroin as a top associate of El Chapo and a “trusted lieutenant for his father.” Under the deal, which was signed by five defense attorneys, he faces at least 10 years behind bars, and a fine of up to $4 million. If he provides “full and truthful cooperation” against El Chapo and his father, the government will try to spare him from a life sentence.

Vicentillo also agreed to forfeit assets amounting to $1.37 billion to the U.S. government, a figure he did not challenge – indicating that not only top leaders of the world’s most powerful cartels can amass billions, but possibly their children as well. El Chapo was  included in Forbes World’s  Billionaires list until 2012.

U.S. prosecutors consider Vicentillo their top witness against El Chapo if Mexico ever agrees to extradite him. There are unconfirmed reports that he U.S. government is strongly considering asking the Mexican government for the drug lord’s extradition now that they have Vicentillo on their side.

Read the rest at Forbes

Photo: Getty Images

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