The former president of Mexico took an apparent punch at the country’s current leader after the arrest of Emma Coronel Aispuro, the beauty queen wife of notorious drug lord “El Chapo”, for allegedly helping her husband run of his billion-dollar criminal empire.
Vicente Fox, who was Mexican president from 2000 to 2006, took to Twitter Monday – shortly after news of Coronel’s arrest – to say, “Don’t worry, Emma.”
“The president comes to the rescue !!” he added above the news of her arrest.
EL CHAPO WOMAN HELD BEHIND BARS ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRADING ARREST
Mexico’s current president Andrés Manuel López Obrador previously criticized US law enforcement for the October 2020 arrest of a former Mexican defense secretary, retired General Salvador Cienfuegos, for alleged drug trafficking and money laundering.
EL CHAPO: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE CONVICTED DRUG KINGPIN
Cienfuegos was arrested in Los Angeles in October after being secretly charged by a federal grand jury in New York in 2019. He was charged with conspiring with the H-2 cartel in Mexico over thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana while serving as Secretary of Defense from 2012 to 2018.
Prosecutors said intercepted reports showed that Cienfuegos was accepting bribes in exchange for ensuring that the military did not take action against the cartel and that operations were launched against its rivals. He was also charged with introducing cartel leaders to other corrupt Mexican officials.
Former Mexican Vicente Fox (Associated Press)
(AP)
Under pressure from Mexico’s implied threats to restrict or expel US agents, US prosecutors have dropped their case so Cienfuegos can be returned to Mexico and investigated under Mexican law.
In January, Mexican prosecutors ruled the US case completely unfounded and Cienfuegos absolutely cleared of charges.
Lopez Obrador has offered Guzman’s family help in the past. In February 2019, just days after the cartel leader was convicted in New York, Lopez Obrador said he had instructed his government to assist “El Chapo’s” family in applying for humanitarian visas to visit the drug trafficker.
On Sunday, 31-year-old Coronel was arrested at Dulles International Airport in Virginia for alleged international drug trafficking.
Emma Coronel Aispuro (Alexandria Sheriff’s Office)
(Alexandria Sheriff’s Office)
EL CHAPO WOMAN ARRESTED FOR DRUGS DEALING COSTS
The 31-year-old double citizen, who has two daughters with Guzman, is charged with conspiring to purchase one kilogram or more heroin, five kilograms or more cocaine, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine for illegal importation into the US, said the Ministry of Justice.
She was also accused of helping her husband run his multi-billion dollar cartel and plan his daring escape from a Mexican prison in 2015.
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During her first appearance in court on Tuesday, Coronel was held behind bars pending trial. The judge’s order came after Coronel’s attorney, Jeffrey Licthman, said he would consent to her temporary detention while retaining their right to request a future hearing on bonds.
She faces a minimum of 10 years in prison if convicted, with a maximum of life in prison and a $ 10 million fine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.