U.S. will not sentence “El Chapo” to death

The extradition process of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán includes a commitment from U.S. authorities not to sentence him to death if convicted for murder, as Texas law states.

Manuel Merino, head of Mexico's extradition office, said in an interview with EL UNIVERSAL that the Mexican government will send a diplomatic note to avoid the execution, prohibited in Article 22 of Mexico's Constitution.

He explained that the extradition request for murder made by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas mentions that in case the leader of the Sinaloa cartel is extradited, he will only be prosecuted but not sentenced to the capital punishment.

Merino added that even though Guzmán has filed several “amparos” (appeals) to avoid being prosecuted in the United States, one of which temporarily suspended the extradition, the process continues.