Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán has written a handwritten letter in English to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, requesting fair treatment whereas incarcerated and alleging violations of his constitutional rights.
In the letter, Guzmán appeals to the judge’s sense of justice, citing provisions from Mexico’s Political Constitution and U.S. Laws to support his request for humane conditions in prison. He describes the correspondence as a “courteous letter” grounded in legal principles governing authority and individual rights.
The Sinaloa cartel leader, who is serving a life sentence plus 30 years at the ADX Florence supermax facility in Colorado, has previously faced legal setbacks, including a rejected bid for a new trial and a denied appeal of his sentence. Judge Cogan, who presided over Guzmán’s 2019 trial and sentenced him to life in prison, is also set to oversee the upcoming case of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, another high-ranking figure in the Mexican drug trade.
Guzmán’s letter underscores ongoing concerns about prison conditions and due process for high-profile inmates, particularly those convicted in major narcotics trafficking cases. While he maintains his innocence in some public statements, his legal team has not succeeded in overturning his conviction or securing early release through judicial appeals.
The move reflects a broader pattern of incarcerated cartel figures seeking legal redress through direct communication with judges, often highlighting perceived disparities in treatment compared to other federal prisoners. Guzmán’s correspondence adds to the public record of his incarceration, which has drawn sustained attention from both U.S. And Mexican authorities since his extradition in 2017.
