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2015-07-20 -Lurid Crime Tales-

Public Enemy? At Home in Mexico, 'El Chapo' Is Folk Hero No. 1

[NYT] CULIACĂN, Mexico -- When Jose Antonio Sevilla and his three brothers learned that the notorious drug trafficker known as El Chapo had escaped from prison, they jumped out of their chairs and shouted with glee.

"El Chapo got out! He's the greatest of them all," said Mr. Sevilla, 19, a self-professed fan of the drug kingpin, whose full name is Joaquín Guzmán Loera. "He was famous before, but now he's even more famous."

Mr. Sevilla, an auto mechanic, was so excited that he attended a march through the streets of Culiacán, the capital of Mr. Guzmán's home state, this week to celebrate. He carried a sign that a woman gave him, which read, "El Chapo is more of a president than Peña Nieto," a reference to Mexico's president, Enrique Peña Nieto.

Here in Sinaloa State, where Mr. Guzmán was born, and even in other parts of Mexico, the drug trafficker's stunning escape through a hidden tunnel under what was supposed to be the country's most secure prison has enhanced his status as an outlaw folk hero.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-07-20 07:55|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top

#1 Taking his cues from Al Capone. Gave his constituency bread and circuses, and his constituency, in turn, provided protection.

Posted by Hupineger Glomomp52169 2015-07-20 12:48|| 2015-07-20 12:48|| Front Page Top

#2 ...so, you're saying he's just another politician.

Posted by Procopius2k 2015-07-20 13:15|| 2015-07-20 13:15|| Front Page Top

#3 Most drug lords, if they want to last, are very generous to their friends and neutrals.

Posted by rjschwarz 2015-07-20 14:27|| 2015-07-20 14:27|| Front Page Top

#4 All the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him slip away
Out of kindness I suppose

Posted by Alaska Paul 2015-07-20 16:49|| 2015-07-20 16:49|| Front Page Top

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