WAR ON DRUGS - Capture of 'El Chapo'

"What the capture of ‘El Chapo’ means for Mexico’s drug wars" PBS NewsHour 1/8/2016

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Joaquin Guzman, aka "El Chapo," perhaps the world's most notorious drug lord, was arrested nearly six months after his elaborate escape from a high-security prison in Mexico.  Hari Sreenivasan learns more from Alfredo Corchado of Arizona State University about what the capture means for the Mexican government.

HARI SREENIVASAN (NewsHour):  I’m joined now by Alfredo Corchado, director of the Borderlands program at the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.  He has also reported for many years from Mexico for The Dallas Morning News, and is author of “Midnight in Mexico,” a book about his experience covering the brutal drug war.

So, let’s start with the basics.  What happened?  Where was he?  How did he get captured?

ALFREDO CORCHADO, Arizona State University:  Well, he was captured this morning right before dawn, intense firefight between the marines and drug traffickers, people close to or guarding Chapo Guzman.

What we know is that, since last July, the marines, with the help of U.S. intelligence, had been tracking him in several Mexican states, including Sinaloa, where he was captured this morning, the state of Durango, and even Tabasco.

This — there were two confrontations, from what we know, the first one at a private home and then he was later captured at a motel.  Five of his trusted bodyguards were killed, and at least one marine was wounded.

HARI SREENIVASAN:  This is the second time the president of Mexico has gone on national television and said they have got this guy.  I mean, this is an important win.

ALFREDO CORCHADO:  This is the second time for President Pena Nieto, and the third time that a Mexican president has said that.

He said, you know, “Mission accomplished,” but I think a lot of people will feel that the mission has not been accomplished until Chapo actually faces justice.  And the best chance of doing that will be on the U.S. side.

So, there’s a lot of tangling already going on, a lot of debate as to whether he will be extradited this time.