Mexico isn't in cahoots with Sinaloa drug cartel, says government
Joaquin Guzman, alias 鈥淓l Chapo,鈥� heads the Sinaloa Cartel, Mexico鈥檚 biggest drug trafficking organization, and is now . He has been on the run since escaping prison in 2001, and was as the biggest drug trafficker in history.
Mr. Guzman鈥檚 decade of liberty is an ongoing embarrassment to the Mexican government, especially with the emergence of claims over the years that the drug lord was living openly . There are stories about him marrying in a public ceremony in a local village, zooming through the region in a convoy of cars, and going out to eat in restaurants accompanied by his entourage.
Meanwhile, there are suspicions that the government is focusing on pursuing members of other drug-trafficking organizations at the expense of targeting the Sinaloa Cartel. An found that the number of Sinaloa members captured is disproportionately low, relative to those arrested from other criminal groups.
All this, together with the rising fortunes of the Sinaloa Cartel, has led to suspicions that law enforcement may be on Guzman鈥檚 side, perhaps working to eliminate the Sinaloa Cartel's rivals at the expense of targeting Sinaloan operatives, with "El Chapo's" unofficial blessing.
Even the US government has referenced such doubts; a referred to the 鈥渨idely held鈥� view that the army was allowing the Sinaloa and Juarez Cartels fight it out in Cuidad Juarez. The cable also noted that many thought the government would prefer Sinaloa to win, and that the army and federal police 鈥渞arely鈥� had direct confrontations with the drug gangs.
, the government blamed previous administrations for their "inaction and tolerance" towards crime. that the Sinaloa Cartel is now facing similar "inaction and tolerance" from the authorities.
It is true that the group probably enjoys close relationships with powerful elements in Mexico鈥檚 law enforcement, perhaps more so than its rivals. However, rather than being evidence of a conspiracy, this is more likely a product of the Sinaloa Cartel's longevity and wealth, as well as the fact that it favors a more quiet, low-key approach than groups like the Zetas, who are more prepared to use violence to gain authority.
An important distinction should be made between Mr. Calderon鈥檚 administration and elements in the army, police, and local government. Clearly it would be impossible for such a famous fugitive to remain at large for so long within his own country without support from some sectors of the security forces. There are many areas of the county where officials, even at the highest levels, are in the pockets of traffickers such as the Sinaloans, but this does not mean that Calderon鈥檚 government is backing the Sinaloa Cartel as a matter of policy. This is more a sign of the federal government鈥檚 lack of control over their forces than of their complicity with Guzman.
It's also possible that the Mexican government is simply attacking the groups strategically, going after the weakest first and leaving Sinaloa until last. Another factor is that the Sinaloans are simply using corruption rather than violence as their preferred business strategy, in contrast to the Zetas, known for . This means by default, the Sinaloa Cartel must attract less attention from authorities, who must prioritize targeting the cartels who use brutal, attention-grabbing tactics that are most disruptive to public security.
US law enforcement may have its own part to play in allowing Guzman to remain at liberty. which seemingly showed that in 2009 US authorities had failed to alert Mexican law enforcement about a tip-off that the Sinaloa head and his associates had been gathered at a ranch near the Arizona border. However, this could itself be evidence that the US authorities do not sufficiently trust Mexican forces to feed them information about Guzman.
Recent reports have also placed Guzman outside of Mexico, suggesting that it is increasingly uncomfortable for him to operate in his home country. , and had been living there for some months until March 2011. More recently, and perhaps more credibly, Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said that saying that Guzman was in Guatemala, and that he was thought to move between Guatemala and Honduras.
In a sign of how deep Guzman鈥檚 influence goes, or how far people believe in the drug lord鈥檚 boundless ability to corrupt, even Mr. Colom appeared to feel the need to emphasize his government is not protecting the Sinaloa leader (Guzman was arrested in Guatemala in 1993). 鈥淲e are behind him,鈥� said the president, 鈥渁nd if we have not captured him it is simply because the information was incomplete or not timely.鈥�
--- Hannah Stone is a writer for , which provides research, analysis, and investigation of the criminal world throughout the region. Find all of her research .
