El Chapo, the big time Mexican drug lord, basically the Pablo Escobar of our day (although Pablo was Colombian), is now standing trial right here in NYC.
It was, as you might say, a long time coming.
El Chapo has been in and out of jail down in Mexico for years -- he'd get busted, be put into a high security prison, and then escape. His power and wealth were such that he could bribe numerous Mexican officials and hide with impunity. Finally, he was captured and extradited to the USA. Now he's in supermax lockup at the Manhattan correctional facility and then, every day, is trekked across the Brooklyn Bridge for his trial.
I'm guessing that El Chapo will be convicted but, like all defendants in the American system, he's entitled to the presumption of innocence (haha) and a fair trial (good luck).
It's interesting how there's been no outrage about El Chapo being tried here in NYC. I remember a few years ago they were going to try one of the 9/11 terrorists and it became this loud politically-charged controversy. Naturally, this happened because, at the time, Obama was president and his Justice Department had decided to give him a civilian and not a military trial. The Republicans, as is their wont, decided to whip up racist warmongering hysteria about it, trying to make us believe that having this trial in NYC was a huge security threat. Now, of course, a racist Republican from NYC is president -- and not a peep.
Interesting.
FYI - if you're interested in more of the history of the drug trade, the fourth season of Narcos, set in Mexico, begins soon on Netflix.
I'm guessing that El Chapo will be convicted but, like all defendants in the American system, he's entitled to the presumption of innocence (haha) and a fair trial (good luck).
It's interesting how there's been no outrage about El Chapo being tried here in NYC. I remember a few years ago they were going to try one of the 9/11 terrorists and it became this loud politically-charged controversy. Naturally, this happened because, at the time, Obama was president and his Justice Department had decided to give him a civilian and not a military trial. The Republicans, as is their wont, decided to whip up racist warmongering hysteria about it, trying to make us believe that having this trial in NYC was a huge security threat. Now, of course, a racist Republican from NYC is president -- and not a peep.
Interesting.
FYI - if you're interested in more of the history of the drug trade, the fourth season of Narcos, set in Mexico, begins soon on Netflix.
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