El Chapo secret meeting with Sean Penn helped authorities capture drug baron

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was captured after his secret meeting with Sean Penn helped the authorities track down the fugitive gangster.

The latest twist in the story of one of the world’s most notorious drug barons emerged within hours of the Mexican authorities saying they were willing to extradite Guzman to the United States.

Details of Guzman’s meeting with Penn were disclosed by the actor himself in an article he wrote for Rolling Stone, describing the tortuous steps he took to arrange the interview.

Federal Police patrol on the perimeters of the Altiplano maximum security prison in Almoloya, west of Mexico City, where Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, is being held   Photo: AP

According to an anonymous Mexican official, it was Guzman’s thirst for publicity and his interview with Penn which ultimately led to his capture after six months on the run.

The meeting enabled the authorities to track his down to a rural part of Durango state in October.

The first attempt to capture Guzman was aborted because Guzman was with a woman and child.

However the Mexican authorities did not lose track of Guzman who remained at liberty for only couple more months before the authorities were able to corner the drugs kingpin at the coastal town of Los Mochis, Sinaloa where he was captured in a shoot-out in which five people died.

Actor and activist Sean Penn was among those who attended the IMF conference  Photo: Reuters

The Rolling Stone article, headlined “El Chapo speaks” has not only a picture of Guzman shaking hands with Penn, but also a two-minute video in which Penn asks Guzman how he became involved in the drugs business.

Wearing a blue printed shirt and a blue baseball cap Guzman describes how he became involved in narcotics.

With children shouting and chickens squawking in the background he tells Penn that there were no job opportunities in the rural area in which he was raised.

“Well it’s a reality that drugs destroy,” Guzman says. “Unfortunately, as I said, where I grew up there was no other way and there still isn’t a way to survive, no other way to work in our economy to be able to make a living.”

Denying he bore any responsibility for drug addiction Guzman adds: “Because the day I don’t exist it’s not going to decrease in any way at all.”

Outlining Guzman’s story, Penn then writes: “I take no pride in keeping secrets that may be perceived as protecting criminals, nor do I have any gloating arrogance at posing for selfies with unknowing security men. But I'm in my rhythm. Everything I say to everyone must be true.”

One Mexican government source said that the authorities knew the interview was due to take place, which made tracking the fugitive far easier.

Joaquin Guzman is escorted by the authorities after his capture in Los Mochis

Now Guzman is facing extradition to the US.

A spokesman for the Mexican Attorney General’s office said the country will accede to two requests for the 61-year-old billionaire drug baron’s extradition which were made last year.

"With Guzman Loera's recapture, the respective extradition proceedings will have to start," the office said in a statement.

It remains unclear when the proceedings will begin and Guzman’s lawyers have three days to file an objection to his extradition and a further 20 days to substantiate them.

The move to extradite Guzman came the day after Mexico’s most notorious cartel leader was recaptured after six months on the run.

Even though Mexico is willing to co-operate with the US, officials warned the extradition process could take some time.

"You have to go through the judicial process, and the defence has its elements too," an official said.

Juan Pablo Badillo, Guzman’s lawyer, signalled that the extradition fight could be a long one in an interview with the Milenio newspaper.

Drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman after his capture

He said that the defence has already filed six motions challenging the extradition request.

Juan Masini, former U.S. Department of Justice attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, predicted that the authorities could face a long war of legal attrition.

"They can challenge the judge, challenge the probable cause, challenge the procedure," he said.

"That's why it can take a long time. They won't challenge everything at once, they can drip, drip, milk it that way."

The Mexican authorities had previously ruled out extraditing Guzman, believing he should serve his prison term in his own country.

But there appears to have been a change of heart following his escape from Mexico’s top security prison last July.

Much to the embarrassment of the Mexican authorities Guzman’s accomplices dug a tunnel which surfaced beneath the shower in his prison cell. He reportedly used a motor bike to complete his escape.

It was the second time he had managed to break out of a top security Mexican jail.

Already there are reports of threats that Guzman’s sons, Alfredo and Ivan Archivaldo have used Twitter to threaten the Mexican government.