01:52Mexico: 'Unfair' - Culiacan residents react to El Chapo's life sentence
Culiacan residents said that the life sentence plus 30 years given to Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman by a US judge was "unfair," while speaking in the Mexican city on Wednesday.
US district Judge Brian Cogan imposed the sentence of life plus 30 years, which was compulsory under the law, at a federal court hearing in New York City on Wednesday.
Culiacan is the capital of Mexico's northwestern Sinaloa state which served as the homebase for Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel and he is widely respected as a robin hood type benefactor throughout the area.
"It's a mistake. It's a mistake as a human because he did not take anything away from anyone," said resident Juan de Dios Valenzuela. "He had things with sacrifice because it never was easy to accomplish this work that these people have accomplished."
"It is unfair to me, it is too much to me, what they are doing. Yes, he did bad things, we all know it but it's a bit unfair and too long," said citizen Brianda Arredondo.
"He helped many people. So it would be unfair if he stayed in jail for a long time," said citizen Maria Valencia.
62-year-old Guzman was convicted in February of 10 counts including international distribution of heroin and cocaine as well as use of firearms and money laundering.
01:52Culiacan residents said that the life sentence plus 30 years given to Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman by a US judge was "unfair," while speaking in the Mexican city on Wednesday.
US district Judge Brian Cogan imposed the sentence of life plus 30 years, which was compulsory under the law, at a federal court hearing in New York City on Wednesday.
Culiacan is the capital of Mexico's northwestern Sinaloa state which served as the homebase for Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel and he is widely respected as a robin hood type benefactor throughout the area.
"It's a mistake. It's a mistake as a human because he did not take anything away from anyone," said resident Juan de Dios Valenzuela. "He had things with sacrifice because it never was easy to accomplish this work that these people have accomplished."
"It is unfair to me, it is too much to me, what they are doing. Yes, he did bad things, we all know it but it's a bit unfair and too long," said citizen Brianda Arredondo.
"He helped many people. So it would be unfair if he stayed in jail for a long time," said citizen Maria Valencia.
62-year-old Guzman was convicted in February of 10 counts including international distribution of heroin and cocaine as well as use of firearms and money laundering.