López Obrador explains the extradition of Ovidio Guzmán to the US.

Mexico City (EFE).- The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, stated this Monday that the extradition of drug trafficker Ovidio Guzmán, son of Joaquín “el Chapo” Guzmán, occurred last Friday to avoid giving pretexts for “politicking” to the US in the middle of that country’s electoral process.

“It is important that no reason be given to those who use the issue of drug trafficking for political purposes in the United States. There are two topics that are used a lot when there are elections in the United States: drug trafficking and migration,” the president said during his morning press conference.

Ovidio Guzmán, US target

Last Friday, the US Department of Justice confirmed Guzmán’s extradition to Chicago, where he will be tried for crimes related to drug trafficking.

Guzmán, arrested by Mexican authorities last January, was one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the United States for his participation in fentanyl trafficking and now faces a series of federal charges in different courts in the country.

In this regard, López Obrador confirmed that Mexico has a collaboration agreement with the United States to extradite alleged criminals, so Ovidio’s transfer was at the request of the Government of that country.

“The request is received by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, if authorized, it is sent to the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic, the person who is going to be extradited is notified, (who) has the opportunity to seek protection, to go to a judge. . In this case there was, as I understand, no request for protection and the extradition was carried out,” he noted.

Drug trafficking, on the agenda of Mexico and the US

He stressed that the issue of drug trafficking is very current among United States politicians whose strategy is to talk about “drugs, fentanyl and blaming Mexico” as well as with migration.

“You cannot be advertising, spreading politicking trying to affect Mexico. Precisely, so as not to give any pretext, so that there is no excuse left, when these requests (for extradition) are presented, they are applied and that is what was done in this case (of Ovid), ”he stated.

The Sinaloa Cartel, according to the US, is the “most powerful drug trafficking group in the world” and largely responsible for the production and manufacturing of fentanyl for distribution in the US, where this drug, considered 50 times more powerful than heroin, it is “the leading cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 49.”

Guzmán and his brothers, known as the “Chapitos,” are also accused of “systematically” transporting tons of cocaine from and through South and Central America to the United States, according to the Department of Justice.

US authorities point out that this organization has been involved in drug trafficking activities to the US and violence for more than a decade and a half.