AMLO agrees that the fortune of “El Chapo” should return to Mexico
The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, looks forward to a proposal for the fortune of drug trafficker Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to be delivered to local indigenous peoples and said that the wealth of Mexican criminals in the United States should be returned to the country.
Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is escorted by soldiers during a presentation in Mexico City. / Via REUTERS
Reuters | Dave Graham
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Leer en español: AMLO afirma que la fortuna de “El Chapo” debería volver a México
José Luis González Meza, Guzmán's lawyer, said this week that his client had proposed that billions of dollars of his fortune, that the US authorities had attributed to his business operations, should be turned over to indigenous communities in Mexico.
Speaking at his daily press conference, the Mexican president, who earlier this year announced the creation of a "Robin Hood" institute to return the stolen wealth to the Mexican people, supported the idea.
"I liked the statement … I don't know if it's true, I can't verify it, but if it's how it came out in the media, that a lawyer expresses that Guzmán Loera wants his wealth to be delivered to the indigenous communities, I see it well", He said.
"In addition, we have already started a process, because we want everything that is confiscated in the United States to criminals or suspected criminals from Mexico be returned to Mexico," he added. He said the government would take "all necessary legal actions" to recover the money.
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The initiative could create suspicion in the administration of US President Donald Trump, who ran for office promising to close the border to criminals and drugs in Mexico and accused the country of taking advantage of the United States in trade.
In July, the US authorities sought a court order that demanded that Guzman deliver $12.7 billion earned as a drug dealer after his conviction this year for crimes of organized crime and drug trafficking.
Lawyer González Meza told Reuters that, although Guzman never admitted to having won billions of dollars, he believed that the money referred to by the US authorities should be sent back to Mexico.
