El Chapo is the nickname of Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the former head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations. Guzmán was born in the 1950s and grew up in a remote area of Sinaloa state in northwestern Mexico. He began his criminal career in the 1980s with the Guadalajara cartel before becoming a leader in the Sinaloa cartel. According to various sources, he became head of the cartel in 1995. Under his leadership, Sinaloa became a dominant force in international drug trafficking, known for innovative smuggling techniques and extensive bribery. Guzmán was arrested multiple times, escaping prison on two occasions before being extradited to the United States in 2017. Two years later he was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style