Joaquín Guzmán Loera, known as ‘El Chapo’, requested extradition to Mexico in a handwritten letter dated April 23 to a Brooklyn federal court. The Sinaloa Cartel leader demands respect for his legal rights and challenges evidence from his 2019 trial. Guzmán remains in a maximum-security prison in Colorado.
Joaquín Guzmán Loera, ‘El Chapo’, sent a handwritten letter on April 23 to the District Court in Brooklyn, New York, requesting extradition to Mexico. In the document, released by the court, Guzmán wrote: “I request before the district courts that my rights to request my extradition and to seek modifications regarding the violation of my sentence be respected, for the sake of equity in federal legislation”.
Guzmán argues there is “compelling evidence that was not proven” in his case and asks for it to be dismissed. He states he is “fighting for release by extradition back to Mexico” and seeks “equal treatment under the law” in his appeal. He also suggests collaboration between US and Mexican authorities to enable his return.
In 2019, a jury found him guilty on ten counts, including leading a continuing criminal enterprise, international drug trafficking, firearms use, and money laundering from narcotics sales. The trial lasted nearly four months and is regarded as the largest narcotrafficking case in the US.
In another letter dated April 17, Guzmán had already requested “an extradition clause” and accused Judge Brian Cogan of relying on “inaccurate” evidence. He thanks the judge for considering his current request.
