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02/22/14 – Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera, one of the most wanted criminals in the world and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico, was […]

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It would seem the meeting last week between Pena Nieto, Obama and Canadian PM Harper went well.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

It would seem the meeting last week between Pena Nieto, Obama and Canadian PM Harper went well.

An amazing coincidence that makes one wonder if El Chapo could have been arrested sooner - or not at all.

I watched the Mexico City news last night including the press conference by Karam, the AG and it appears that Chapo wasn't all alone in the hotel with the woman as per earlier reports. 13 people were arrested along with a cache of guns, rifles and even a couple of grenade launchers. So it looks like they really did catch him totally by surprise.

They also said that one of the keys in catching Chapo was the DEA being able to turn one of his California lawyers into an informant. He must have been doing something criminal for them to be able to get him to break the attorney-client privilege. They also said that they had been very close to catching him several times in recent weeks. Each time Chapo managed to escape from a residence where heavily barred doors delayed the agents entry and Chapo escaped through underground tunnels leading away from the home. One such property had 7 different escape tunnels heading in different directions. It appears, according to the spokesman that Chapo ran out of secure safe houses with escape routes and chose instead to try to "hide in plain sight".

The spokesman also mentioned the valued and important role played by the DEA. When reporters pressed the issue asking if armed DEA agents participated in his actual arrest they did not deny it but just sidestepped the question, restating the importance of maintaining joint cooperation and that it would play out in many different ways.

That (to me) confirms other reports that the DEA did participate in his actual arrest.

I have no doubts the DEA was involved. Not sure Mexico really wanted to have him captured given the list of high profile names he will or could provide. He escaped during Fox's presidencey and just last week Calderon was implying Mexico is "lawless". Pena Nieto was said to be distancing himslef from US cooperation too. Then the meeting last week. It may have been a coincidence, but wasn't Pena Nieto asking for concessions from the USA and Canada on trade and immigration? Given he can't seem to protect the citizens in some parts of Mexico he was probably encouraged to get serious about taking Chapo down. Both Canadian and US families had asked Harper and Obama to ask Pena Nieto to determine the whereabouts of several missing citizens in Mexico. It's doubtful the three met without addressing the elephant in the room. Would or could the DEA stage the events the past few weeks? Sure, it's what they do.

So, will Chapo be extradicted to the USA and spill the beans on everyone that helped him- or will he become refried beans in Mexico? The bigger question is now that Chapo's cartel is active in over 100 countries- will taking him down make any difference?

Originally Posted by Woooosh

I have no doubts the DEA was involved. Not sure Mexico really wanted to have him captured given the list of high profile names he will or could provide. He escaped during Fox's presidencey and just last week Calderon was implying Mexico is "lawless". Pena Nieto was said to be distancing himslef from US cooperation too. Then the meeting last week. It may have been a coincidence, but wasn't Pena Nieto asking for concessions from the USA and Canada on trade and immigration? Given he can't seem to protect the citizens in some parts of Mexico he was probably encouraged to get serious about taking Chapo down. Both Canadian and US families had asked Harper and Obama to ask Pena Nieto to determine the whereabouts of several missing citizens in Mexico. It's doubtful the three met without addressing the elephant in the room. Would or could the DEA stage the events the past few weeks? Sure, it's what they do.

So, will Chapo be extradicted to the USA and spill the beans on everyone that helped him- or will he become refried beans in Mexico? The bigger question is now that Chapo's cartel is active in over 100 countries- will taking him down make any difference?

These guys don´t spill the beans on anyone. They still have family to take care of. What you suggest is an American idea, not Mexican in this league or even the little league.
.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

The bigger question is now that Chapo's cartel is active in over 100 countries- will taking him down make any difference?

Doubtful. It would be like eliminating one of the Waltons and expecting all the WalMarts to fold.

1) [QUOTE=Woooosh;40095]
So, will Chapo be extradicted to the USAQUOTE]

2)

Originally Posted by Woooosh

So, will Chapo spill the beans on everyone that helped him- or will he become refried beans in Mexico?

3)

Originally Posted by Woooosh

The bigger question is now that Chapo's cartel is active in over 100 countries- will taking him down make any difference?

1) I would surely think so. I don't think Mexico wants to loose him again!

2) I firmly believe that this is one of those situations where some special treatment like "Water Boarding" would payoff. I mean I know Human Rights groups would be knocking at my door if they knew where I live but I maintain this guy and his group DO NOT care about the rights of humans at all. What goes around comes around!!!
I say torture the chit out of him till he spills the beans.

3) Well like MexicaliAlan and DENNIS have stated hard to stop a "HUGE LANDSLIDE" it is a pretty big multinational corporation (using the term loosely).

I had heard in the past Chapo had a list. I too don't think he'd rat out his business, but he would take a few hundred Mexican lawmen and politcians out- perhaps even a former president. He hasn't been that hard to find the past few yars with the NSA watching his family and Calderon had a closer relationship with the USA. There wasn't the politcal will to get Chapo until now for some reason... jmho

Something that remains a question in my mind!

I understand that there were other people with him when he was arrested yet.....

I have not read anywhere that they were also arrested?

I would imagine at a minimum they would be arrested as "accessories to a whole bunch of things".

The wife in the room, is that not harboring a fugitive?
At one time the Second most wanted person in the world, that has to be good for at least a Sentence to Life in Prison.

Originally Posted by CDN_JOHNNY

Something that remains a question in my mind!

I understand that there were other people with him when he was arrested yet.....

I have not read anywhere that they were also arrested?

Eees Messeeco. We're lucky to get the news they give us. There was a time not that far back that we only got the PRI filtered version.

It was announced on the news I watched from Mexico City both by the attorney general and a presidential spokesman who both said that 13 were arrested (not sure if that was counting Chapo) and displayed the cache of weapons seized. My guess is that they have them under wraps and pressing them hard for intel...

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Doubtful. It would be like eliminating one of the Waltons and expecting all the WalMarts to fold.

I think that the idea is disruption, not removing from the market. By disrupting their business, they send the message that this is not a reliable future profession.

For example, I knew this guy who wanted to get into the business. He bought some equipment to begin growing his own. Officers came and took it all away after a week or two (I don't know all the details). He said "hah! They don't have anything. I'm not going to jail." I said "Man, you're broke and you just lost all you had. Why didn't you just spend the money and enjoy it?"

So, now all those guys who were at the top of the cartels five years ago are now DEAD or in JAIL. Of course they will be replaced--by other people who will soon be DEAD or in JAIL.

For me the question is; why didn't Chapo just cash out and enjoy some of his millions somewhere else? South America has plenty of small towns where you could just disappear. So does Asia, for that matter. And Africa (although that would be a tough sell).

Blood in - Blood out ... in many cases

[QUOTE=bwall;40114IFor me the question is; why didn't Chapo just cash out and enjoy some of his millions somewhere else? South America has plenty of small towns where you could just disappear. So does Asia, for that matter. And Africa (although that would be a tough sell).[/QUOTE]

Power is a strong addiction.

Originally Posted by DENNIS

Power is a strong addiction.

But power doesn't have to be geographical these days. It was the phone and social networking intel that did him in (his family was not helpful in that)- so it wouldn't have mattered where in the world he was based to run his business. Were there safer places than Mexico for Chapo- most certainly. He probably felt more comfortable in Mexico where he likley had security connections and lookouts he wouldn't have in a foreign country. It doesn't look like he really enjoyed his daily routine and I am always amazed at how little taste these narcos have- every time I see an interior shot of their "lavish" homes it looks like a pimp on crack decorated it. I suppose it's like a country bumpkin winning $400 million in the lottery on steroids. Chapo destroyed millions of people lives for weath he didn't know how to use and power that gave him no freedom. He sat home eating peanuts and Tootsie Roll Pops by the case- not driving the fancy cars he owned or entertainming friends with caviar and champagne. His relatives had the private jets, drove the ferraris and showed off the tigers on social media and they are the ones the NSA followed back to Chapo.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

But power doesn't have to be geographical these days. It was the phone and social networking intel that did him in

Maybe. I have a hard time believing what DEA or any of them say, but it seems foolish to think they're laying their interdiction cards of the table for all to see.

Chapo destroyed millions of people lives for wealth .

In assigning responsibility, I've become a staunch believer that those who died as a result of taking drugs killed themselves. Their choice....their life...their death. RIP

Conversely, those innocents caught in the various crossfires, .........their blood is on Guzman's hands. He owes.

Originally Posted by Woooosh

. .. . . .Chapo destroyed millions of people lives for weath he didn't know how to use and power that gave him no freedom . . .. . .

I know, right? That's what I just don't get. Really. It makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

I guess I have a personal preference for freedom more than anything.