It’s a sharp reversal from the official position after his last capture in 2014.
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“The federal government will study all the options within the legal framework and naturally these options include the extradition requests and the proceedings that he must also face in Mexico”, the official said on condition of anonymity.
The extradition decision marks a turning point in Mexico’s official position on the Guzman who twice managed to escape while in Mexican custody.
“The objective is to fulfill the extradition request”, one source said.
Penn, who is now under investigation for orchestrating the interview while his subject was a fugitive from justice, met with El Chapo in the Mexican jungle in October. His powerful Sinaloa Cartel has smuggled billions of dollars worth of drugs into the US.
On July 11, after just 17 months at Altiplano, Guzman slipped through a hole in his cell’s shower, climbed on a motorcycle mounted on rails, and traveled 1.5 kilometers (one mile) through a tunnel to freedom.
His efforts to develop a biopic ends in a scene with an interesting twist: After six months on the lam, Guzman is now back in the same maximum security prison from which he escaped, according to a Mexican law enforcement official with knowledge of the case.
The first attempt to capture Guzman was aborted because Guzman was with a woman and child. They did not mention extradition.
In a series of tweets, MSNBC host Chris Hayes argued that it is “obviously, unambiguously indefensible to give the subject of an interview/article final say over its publication”, but that matters of right and wrong take a backseat to business calculations at some publications.
“I was highly aware of committed DEA and other law-enforcement officers and soldiers, both Mexican and American, who had lost their lives executing the policies of the War on Drugs”.
Guzman was said to have moved to Los Mochis in December, with his house under surveillance for about a month before authorities could determine whether he was inside.
In the Rolling Stone video, Guzman is asked if he thinks authorities want him dead.
Guzman was captured after a shootout with marines in which five of the kingpin’s henchmen were killed and six were captured. One marine was wounded in the operation, AP reported.
“You could hear intense gunfire and a helicopter; it was fierce”, said a neighbor, adding that the battle raged for three hours, starting at 4 a.m. She refused to be quoted by name in fear for her own safety.
Mexico plans to extradite El Chapo to the US. Marines climbed into the drains in pursuit.
“I take no pride in keeping secrets that may be perceived as protecting criminals, nor do I have any gloating arrogance at posing for selfies with unknowing security men”, Penn wrote.
In July, Guzman used an elaborate underground tunnel to break out of a Mexican federal prison.
“The arrest of today is very important for the government of Mexico”.
In Rolling Stone he said: “I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world”.
A spokesman for President Enrique Pena Nieto declined to comment and, given the controversial nature of extradition within Mexico, it remained possible that the government would stick to its longstanding refusal to send Guzman to the United States until he first serves time in Mexico.
It is unclear if Penn’s interview led authorities to Guzman.
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Once a judge rules on the extradition, the decision is sent to the foreign ministry, which will have 20 days to validate it. Guzman would have another chance after that to legally challenge the decision.
