El Chapo’s Lawyer Raises Concerns Over Prison Conditions

Notorious drug kingpin Joaquín Guzmán, known as El Chapo, is reportedly experiencing significant mental distress during his solitary confinement at ADX Florence, a maximum-security prison in Colorado. His former attorney, Mariel Colón, has expressed serious concerns about the conditions he faces, describing them as “inhumane.”

Colón, who has represented El Chapo for nearly a decade, stated in a recent interview that the severe isolation is taking a toll on his mental health. She noted, “I have known him for nine years… I used to see him every day, and since he left for Colorado, I go see him twice a month and I talk to him weekly on the phone. I can tell you that I’ve noticed changes that are a little strange and well, they’re a little worrying.”

El Chapo was arrested for a final time in Mexico in 2016 before being extradited to the United States. Since his incarceration, Colón claims that the conditions of his confinement have intensified. She emphasized that he is kept in isolation for 24 hours a day, without any exposure to sunlight or human interaction.

Concerns Over Isolation and Deprivation

Colón criticized the lack of basic privileges afforded to her client. She reported that El Chapo is unable to visit the prison library, engage in work programs, or socialize with other inmates. Food is delivered to him through a small door, limiting his interactions to when he is handcuffed for legal consultations. “In other words, they give him food through a small door. There (in his cell) he eats, there he bathes, he doesn’t leave those four walls,” she said.

According to previous reports from El País, El Chapo spends as little as three hours a week outside his cell. His communications, including phone calls, letters, and visits, are strictly monitored and regulated by US authorities. These measures are likely in response to his history of daring escapes from custody.

Colón has stated that the American government is subjecting El Chapo to conditions that lack humanity. “He spends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week completely alone, isolated,” she said. “It just doesn’t make sense, really.”

Legal Actions and Future Implications

Since his conviction for running a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to launder money, and multiple drug trafficking charges, El Chapo has petitioned the court multiple times to ease the restrictions placed on him. Despite these efforts, his requests have not been granted.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the specifics of El Chapo’s confinement conditions. As discussions surrounding prison reform and the treatment of inmates continue, the situation of El Chapo highlights the often controversial aspects of solitary confinement in the US penal system.

As El Chapo navigates the complexities of his incarceration, the implications for his mental health and the broader conversation on prison conditions remain critical points of contention.