Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, has been successfully extradited to the United States, according to the US Department of Justice. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised the relentless efforts of US and Mexican law enforcement, as well as military personnel, in their ongoing battle against drug cartels.
Garland expressed gratitude for the courage and sacrifices made by law enforcement officers and military servicemembers on both sides of the border. He emphasized that the fight against cartels has been a challenging endeavor, with many individuals giving their lives in the pursuit of justice.
Assistant US Attorney Joseph D. Fitzpatrick, based in the Northern District of Illinois, confirmed that Guzman was flown to Chicago and arrived on a Friday afternoon. This extradition marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and related crimes.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez was initially arrested by Mexican authorities in January of this year during a dramatic operation in the state of Sinaloa. This operation resulted in 29 deaths and led to Guzman’s detention. Previously, Guzman had been arrested in October 2019 but was subsequently released at the direction of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who sought to avoid further violence. Guzman went into hiding until his capture in 2023.
This extradition comes shortly after the release of El Chapo’s wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, from a US prison on Wednesday. She had served nearly two years on charges related to drug trafficking and money laundering.
The US State Department believes that Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his brother, Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, assumed control of a significant portion of the narcotics proceeds following the death of another brother, Edgar Guzman-Lopez.
In 2015, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman famously escaped from the Altiplano prison through a tunnel equipped with a motorcycle on tracks. He was subsequently recaptured, convicted in the United States on multiple charges, and sentenced to life in prison for over 30 years, along with a hefty fine of USD 12.6 billion.
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