‘El Chapo’ must be extradited

The capture of “El Chapo” Guzmán is a major success for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. It reinforces his government’s image in fighting drug trafficking, while refuting criticism and perceptions.

The arrest of the most sought-after drug lord will allow the PRI government to set aside serious security challenges in Michoacán and concentrate on its economic and trade agenda. Los Pinos now has an accomplishment it can show investors who were afraid of investing their money because of the impact of drug-trafficking violence.

At the same time, the arrest shows that cooperation between the United States and Mexico, within a different framework than the one that existed with his predecessor Felipe Calderón, is yielding good results for Peña Nieto.

Understanding the origins and reach of events inside the twists and turns of Mexican politics has always been hard. Undoubtedly, the capture of “El Chapo” Guzmán is open to all sorts of speculation. But in reality, the drug boss was arrested under Peña Nieto’s government and he deserves the credit.

This is as true as the fact that “El Chapo’s” arrest won’t dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel or have a bigger effect on drug traffic to the United States. The tough outlook of Michoacán and the public insecurity that Peña Nieto faces won’t magically disappear either.

We hope that “El Chapo” follows the same path as “El Güero” Palma and Osiel Cárdenas Guillen, two drug lords who were extradited to our country to pay for their crimes. “El Chapo’s” escape 13 years go and the recent release of Enrique Caro Quintero raise reasonable doubts about Mexico’s prison and judicial system.

Drug trafficking is a regional problem that because of its distribution and consumption requires a regional cooperation strategy to combat it. The arrest and quick extradition of “El Chapo” Guzmán would be a good example of this.