POLITICS

It took six months of hard work for Mexican authorities to track down notorious drug lord Joaquin Guzmán, popularly known as “El Chapo. Now, it could take years of hard work to extradite him to the United States. (USA Today)

Use today’s MapMaker Interactive map to see which jurisdictions have indicted Guzman, and where he may stand trial.

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources, including today’s MapMaker Interactive map.

Discussion Ideas

• The alleged leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin Guzman, may be extradited to the United States. What is extradition?
  • Extradition is the process of turning over an accused criminal to another state or nation at the state’s request for the purpose of trial or punishment.

 

• At least seven district jurisdictions in the U.S. want to put Guzman on trial. What are jurisdictions?
  • A jurisdiction is a geographic region associated with a specific legal authority.
    • There are 11 federal circuits in the United States, and each of these jurisdictions has smaller jurisdictions called districts.

 

• What jurisdictions have charged Guzman with crimes? In what circuit would the trial take place? Take a look at the map above, or the second bookmark on today’s MapMaker Interactive map for some help.
  • Circuit 9: Southern District of California (San Diego)
  • Circuit 5: Western District of Texas (El Paso)
  • Circuit 11: Southern District of Florida (Miami)
  • Circuit 7: Northern District of Illinois (Chicago)
  • Circuit 1: District of New Hampshire (Concord)
  • Circuit 2: Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn) and Southern District of New York (Manhattan)

 

• Why is Guzman’s extradition from Mexico to the U.S. possible?
  • The U.S. and Mexico have a strong, bilateral extradition treaty.
  • Guzman is formally accused of crimes in the U.S., but would also be prosecuted for those or similar crimes in Mexico. (According to FindLaw, “most nations require the underlying [extraditable offense] be something their own laws would consider a crime.”)
  • Many experts think there is a strong political motivation among Mexican citizens and authorities to extradite Guzman for fear the Mexican judicial system may not be able to hold him accountable. In Mexico, Guzman has escaped from maximum-security prisons twice, and extradition to the U.S. may be “the best way to ensure he does not escape again.”

 

• What are some obstacles facing Guzman’s extradition to the U.S.?
  • Under Mexican laws of due process, an individual subject to extradition has the right to contest it through the courts. Guzman has filed numerous injunctions to prevent his extradition, including several while he was on the run.
  • Under the terms of the U.S.-Mexico extradition agreement, the U.S. must guarantee that Guzman will not face capital charges. (This is a standard clause for nations, such as Mexico, that do not have the death penalty. It has delayed or prevented extradition on multiple occasions from, for example, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Ecuador.)

 

TEACHERS’ TOOLKIT

USA Today: Coming to America: Why the El Chapo extradition could take years

Nat Geo: Will ‘El Chapo’ Be Extradited to the U.S.? map

Quartz: Why is it taking so long for Mexico to extradite El Chapo?

FindLaw: What is Extradition?

U.S. Embassy in Mexico: Law Enforcement