(Mexico City) The United States has formally requested Mexico to extradite drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s son, Ovidio Guzman, who was arrested earlier this year, Mexican government sources said Monday.
The U.S. Embassy presented the Foreign Ministry and the Attorney General’s Office with a dossier detailing the charges against Ovidio Guzman, accused of being a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, a government source said. did not wish to be identified.
Guzman’s son was arrested on January 5 in Culiacan in an operation that resulted in the deaths of 10 servicemen and 19 suspected criminals.
Authorities and experts believe that this 32-year-old man took over with his three brothers in charge of the Sinaloa Cartel after the arrest of the father.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is serving a life sentence in a Colorado prison in the United States after being convicted in 2019 by a Brooklyn court of drug trafficking and money laundering. He was extradited in 2017.
After his own arrest in early January, Ovidio Guzman had obtained a judicial reprieve to prevent his immediate surrender to American justice.
A Mexican judge had given until March 5 for the United States to file an extradition request.
The US government is seeking the extradition of Ovidio Guzman and one of his brothers for their alleged responsibility in the export of cocaine, methamphetamines and cannabis.
Washington had offered a five million dollar reward for each of them.
Mexico charges Guzman Jr. with health offenses and possession of firearms. Justice has opened investigations against him for belonging to organized crime.