This isn't the first time Guzman had been in jail. In 2001 he escaped about of a Mexican prison in a laundry basket, so security is expected to be raised. Nevertheless, Guzman is one of the world's most powerful people. In 2013, he was ranked 67th in a Forbes list. Unfortunately it appears that El Chapo either has a replacement or will continue to run his empire from jail, so the war on drugs in Mexico is far from over.
What do you guys think? Does this event spark the end of the war on drugs in Mexico? Will Guzman use his drug lord powers to free himself? It's not every day the 67th most powerful person in the world is put in jail, will he be received well by the other inmates in the prison?
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3 comments:
Rather than an end to the efforts to combat drug cartels in Mexico, I think this event marks the beginning of a renewed effort to take down these criminal organizations. It sounds like Guzman's arrest came only after a series of raids against his associates yielded information on his whereabouts. With the cartel vulnerable, Mexican authorities now have the chance to dismantle Guzman's criminal empire. Addressing Guzman's previous escape from prison, I agree with DEA officials in that the best way to ensure his permanent incarceration is through his immediate extradition to the United States. Although Mexico's marines have cultivated a reputation as being far harder to bribe than their federal police counterparts, nobody is perfect and detention in Mexico is a disaster waiting to happen. People don't break out of American prisons, and the Marshal's Service is sure to take a special interest in keeping him in detention. As far as fellow inmates go, I think Mr. Guzman is going to have a lot of alone time as his heels cool off in solitary confinement.
Although arresting Guzman is a big achievement, I personally don't think this is a turning point in these drug wars. Like you said, he already has a replacement to succeed him. Not to mention the vast power and connections he has acquired over his time as head of the Sinaloa Cartel. It would not be that hard for him to continue spreading that network, even while in jail. On a side note, drug cartels have been a very big issue in the Philippines lately, mainly because Guzman's syndicate had already infiltrated South East Asia, and they're using the islands to further expand their operations. What I'm wondering is how he was caught - I understand that that information would probably remain undisclosed for a while, but from the articles you provided, Guzman seemed too careless. Having been elusive for over thirteen years, I still can't piece together how he was caught easily. Moreover, he was arrested in his home state, in a condominium with his wife, and did not even attempt to fire with his "military-style assault rifle" - it's like he was asking to be caught. The police Superintendent says it all, "This is a victory, but we know the tentacles of his cartel still exist and much more work remains to be done."
I think that this is a turning point in the war on drugs. El Chapo was the grand daddy of drugs and one of the richest men of the world. While surely his empire will not fall, as someone will take it over, the industry will be crippled. I hope that he is extradited to the United States because he is much less likely to escape then if he was in Mexico like Lantheir said. IT took a lot of busts to get him out, and I'm sure it won't stop their. So this event ultimately is a turning point in the drug war.
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