My guess is that the Mexican government wants to prove that they can detain El Chapo even if it means going back to the same facility that he escaped from.
Let me tell you how a Mexican friend reacted to the news that he’s going back to the same prison: “En serio?” or loosely translated to “seriously?”
President Pena-Nieto has been under fire for El Chapo’s escape. It exposed a major weakness in Mexico’s judicial framework. It distracted the President from his efforts to reform energy, public education and the telecommunications sector.
President Pena Nieto promised to focus on the economy but the violence continues to dominate the front pages. The war has had two serious consequences:
a) 70,000, some say 100,000, civilians have been killed since 2006; and,
b) El Chapo’s escape put corruption on the front pages, especially for international investors. Mexico has been trying very hard to change its image and El Chapo didn’t help.
Congratulations to President Pena-Nieto, and Mexico armed forces, for doing the hard work of arresting El Chapo. At the same, please don’t put him in the same prison. Give El Chapo to the US and go after other cartel leaders.
