Mexico president to accelerate extradition of drug lord

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto gestures as he speaks during a panel”A New Agenda for Latin America” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. AP

MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Friday he’s ordering officials to accelerate the extradition of recaptured drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman to the United States.

Mexico had balked at extraditing Guzman after he was captured in 2014, but his escape from a top-security prison in July apparently changed officials’ minds.

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Pena Nieto said he’d told his Attorney General’s office to “achieve the extradition of this highly dangerous delinquent as soon as possible.” He made the comments during a news conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Mexican marines captured Guzman on Jan. 8, six months after he tunneled out of a top-security Mexican prison — his escape from a maximum security lockup.

The Sinaloa Cartel chief is wanted on multiple charges in both Mexico and the US.

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Officials have already said they plan now to extradite Guzman, but have said the process could take a year or more of legal wrangling.