A Guatemalan presidential candidate was busted Wednesday by the DEA for conspiring to import “tons of cocaine” into the US for Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s infamous Sinaloa drug cartel — and allegedly attempting to arrange the assassinations of his political rivals, according to prosecutors.

Mario Estrada, 58, was charged in Manhattan federal court following a months-long investigation.

He and another individual, Juan Pablo Gonzalez Mayorga, were arrested Wednesday in Miami and are scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate on Thursday.

They are accused of conspiring to solicit cartel money “to finance a corrupt scheme to elect Estrada president of Guatemala,” according to prosecutors.

“In return, the two allegedly promised to assist the cartel in using Guatemalan ports and airports to export tons of cocaine into the US,” said Geoffrey Berman, attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a statement. “As further alleged, Estrada and Gonzalez attempted to arrange the assassinations of political rivals.”

The pair allegedly conspired to use and possess machine guns throughout their murderous election campaign.

“[Estrada and Gonzalez] directed [confidential sources] to hire hitmen to assassinate political rivals to ensure that Estrada was elected president of Guatemala,” the federal complaint says. “In particular, Estrada and Gonzalez identified specific targets by name and agreed to provide the hitmen with firearms, including AK-47s, to carry out the murders.”

Both men will face a maximum of life in prison, if convicted.

“Thanks to the DEA, Estrada stands no chance of election in Guatemala,” Berman said. “But he and Gonzalez face justice in the United States.” </s> A Guatemalan politician who had dreams of becoming his nation's next president was arrested in Miami for allegedly promising Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel full access to his country's ports and airports for their drug trafficking in return for them funding his political campaign.

The candidate, Mario Estrada, 58, and an alleged accomplice, Juan Pablo González, 50, were both taken in by law enforcement agents on Wednesday.

Both men were charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and a related weapons offense. If convicted, they could spend up to life in prison.

Estrada and González were scheduled to appear Thursday before a federal magistrate in Miami on charges brought in New York, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a release.

'Estrada and Gonzalez conspired to solicit Sinaloa Cartel money to finance a corrupt scheme to elect Estrada president of Guatemala,' Berman said.

The Sinaloa Cartel was once headed by Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán before he was extradited to the United States.

'In return, the two allegedly promised to assist the cartel in using Guatemalan ports and airports to export tons of cocaine into the U.S.'

The presidential hopeful's apprehension took place a day after a meet-and-greet with future voters in the department of Chiquimula.

Estrada had told his running mate he was traveling to Miami to spend Holy Week and that he would return home Easter Sunday.

The former congressman was far behind in recent presidential polls, with less than 3 percent support in one recent survey.

The National Change Union party, which Estrada founded, holds just six seats in the 158-member Congress, and has typically supported the policies of President Jimmy Morales' government.

González joined the party two years ago and holds the title of deputy secretary.

Estrada's running mate, Javier Castillo, was taken aback by Estrada's arrest.

'We had no idea something like that was happening. I would never have been involved in something that was unusual,' he said during a press conference Thursday.

The political party's Secretary General, Jorge Passarelli, was quick to dismiss any notion that the group was financially backed by drug gangs.

'The little money we have is the product of political debt, and what some candidates have been able to give,' Passarelli.

'Our [financial] books are open.'

The prosecutor credited the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with building the case against the men with the aid of confidential sources.

'As further alleged, Estrada and Gonzalez attempted to arrange the assassinations of political rivals,' he said.

'Thanks to the DEA, Estrada stands no chance of election in Guatemala, but he and Gonzalez face justice in the United States.'

According to a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday, the DEA has been investigating several individuals since December after learning there were efforts to secure financing from international drug cartels to support Estrada's presidential campaign.

The evidence against the men includes video and audio communications, according to the complaint.

As part of his all out quest to become the Central American nation's next president, U.S. authorities said Estrada and Gonzalez had crafted an assassination plot with a list of names and agreed to provide hit men with firearms, including AK-47s, to carry out murders. </s> The US Drug Enforcement Agency has been investigating the alleged conspiracy since December 2018

NEW YORK, USA – A Guatemalan presidential candidate has been charged with conspiring to import cocaine to the United States in a bid to secure cartel funds for his election, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Candidate Mario Amilcar Estrada Orellana and another alleged conspirator, Juan Pablo Gonzalez Mayorga, were arrested in Miami, the department said in a statement.

"As alleged, Estrada and Gonzalez conspired to solicit Sinaloa Cartel money to finance a corrupt scheme to elect Estrada president of Guatemala," US attorney Geoffrey Berman said in the statement, referring to a powerful Mexican drug-running organization.

"In return, the two allegedly promised to assist the cartel in using Guatemalan ports and airports to export tons of cocaine into the US," said Berman.

The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had been investigating the alleged conspiracy since December 2018.

Both Estrada and Gonzalez "interacted with purported members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel" who were actually DEA "confidential sources," the department said.

The two also allegedly directed the confidential sources "to hire hitmen to assassinate political rivals to ensure that Estrada was elected president of Guatemala," and allegedly agreed to provide them with weapons including Kalashnikov assault rifles to carry out the killings.

In addition to the alleged cocaine importation conspiracy, Estrada and Gonzalez have also been charged with conspiring to use and possess machineguns. – Rappler.com </s> NEW YORK (AP) - A Guatemalan presidential candidate was arrested Wednesday in Miami on drug and weapons charges, accused of plotting to assassinate political rivals and to let drug dealers use Guatemala's ports and airports.

The candidate, Mario Amilcar Estrada Orellana, 58, and an alleged accomplice, Juan Pablo Gonzalez Mayorga, 50, were scheduled to appear Thursday before a federal magistrate in Miami on charges brought in New York, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a release.

"Estrada and Gonzalez conspired to solicit Sinaloa Cartel money to finance a corrupt scheme to elect Estrada president of Guatemala," Berman said. "In return, the two allegedly promised to assist the cartel in using Guatemalan ports and airports to export tons of cocaine into the U.S."

The prosecutor credited the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with building the case against the men with the aid of confidential sources.

"As further alleged, Estrada and Gonzalez attempted to arrange the assassinations of political rivals," he said. "Thanks to the DEA, Estrada stands no chance of election in Guatemala, but he and Gonzalez face justice in the United States."

Both men were charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and a related weapons offense.

It was unclear who will represent them when they appear before a federal court in Miami.

Adolphus P. Wright, a DEA official, said the investigation was aided by a strong partnership with Guatemalan law enforcement authorities.

"Together with our international law enforcement partners, we will continue our efforts to keep illegal drug trafficking from corrupting the just political systems of our Central and South American neighbors, as we also endeavor to prevent such activity from harming the United States," he said.

According to a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday, the DEA has been investigating several individuals since December after learning there were efforts to secure financing from international drug cartels to support Estrada's presidential campaign.

The evidence against the men includes video and audio communications, according to the complaint.

Authorities said Estrada and Gonzalez in the assassination plot identified specific targets by name and agreed to provide hit men with firearms, including AK-47s, to carry out murders. </s> GUATEMALA CITY, April 18 — A Guatemalan presidential candidate was arrested in Miami yesterday and charged with an elaborate plot to use drug cartel money to win the election and assassinate rivals, according to US officials, two months before voters head to the polls.

Mario Estrada, candidate of the centre-right National Change Union, who is polling far behind other rivals, is accused along with another man, Juan Pablo Gonzalez, of seeking between US$10 and $12 million (RM43.3 and RM49.6 million) from Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa Cartel to fund his campaign and transport cocaine into the United States.

“Estrada and Gonzalez conspired to solicit Sinaloa Cartel money to finance a corrupt scheme to elect Estrada president of Guatemala,” Geoffrey Berman, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two men pledged that if Estrada won the June 16 election, he would help the cartel transport drugs from Guatemalan airports and ports with the aid of complicit security officials.

The two also conspired to kill unnamed rival candidates, the US attorney’s statement said.

The statement added that since January, several meetings with both men in Miami and Guatemala designed to advance the plot were held and recorded, in most cases with both video and audio.

Officials with Estrada’s party did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It could not be immediately determined who was legally representing the two accused men.

US officials said the US Drug Enforcement Agency assisted with the investigation, as well as the Guatemalan government.

Estrada, a 58-year-old former congressman, has lagged far behind in presidential opinion polls, with less than 3 per cent support in one recent survey.

Alfredo Brito, a spokesman for Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, told Reuters the government would provide Estrada with the support needed to ensure his rights were respected “just like any Guatemalan citizen.”

Estrada “must clarify his legal situation given the accusations that have been made against him,” said Brito, who did not respond when asked to specify how the Guatemalan government assisted in the case.

The National Change Union party, which Estrada founded, holds just six seats in the 158-member Congress, and has typically supported the policies of Morales’ government.

Estrada and Gonzalez, also charged with a related weapons offense, could face life behind bars in the United States if convicted.

The presidential race has been led by Thelma Aldana, the country’s former attorney general; Zury Rios, the daughter of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt; and former first lady Sandra Torres. — Reuters </s> NEW YORK — A presidential candidate in Guatemala has been arrested in Miami on drug charges.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman says Mario Amilcar Estrada Orellana promised to let a drug cartel use Guatemalan ports and airports.

He says Estrada and a second defendant also conspired to try to arrange the assassinations of political rivals. Estrada was arrested Wednesday in Miami along with fellow defendant Juan Pablo Gonzalez Mayorga.

Both were charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and a related weapons offense.

It was unclear who will represent them when the men appear before a federal magistrate in Miami on Thursday.

Berman credited the Drug Enforcement Agency with using confidential sources to convince Estrada and Gonzalez that they were dealing with members of a powerful Mexico-based drug cartel. </s> By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A presidential candidate in Guatemala has been arrested in Miami on drug charges. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman says Mario Amilcar Estrada Orellana promised to let a drug cartel use Guatemalan…

NEW YORK (AP) — A presidential candidate in Guatemala has been arrested in Miami on drug charges.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman says Mario Amilcar Estrada Orellana promised to let a drug cartel use Guatemalan ports and airports.

He says Estrada and a second defendant also conspired to try to arrange the assassinations of political rivals. Estrada was arrested Wednesday in Miami along with fellow defendant Juan Pablo Gonzalez Mayorga.

Both were charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and a related weapons offense.

It was unclear who will represent them when the men appear before a federal magistrate in Miami on Thursday.

Berman credited the Drug Enforcement Agency with using confidential sources to convince Estrada and Gonzalez that they were dealing with members of a powerful Mexico-based drug cartel.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> Former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel has been handed over to US authorities

“El Chapo” Guzmán, one of Mexico’s most famous drug lords, is on his way to face criminal charges in the United States, the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs has announced.

Joaquín Guzmán, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was removed from his cell at a federal prison in Ciudad Juárez this afternoon in preparation for extradition to the U.S.

A statement released by the Foreign Affairs Secretariat said a court decided today to reject a request for an amparo, or legal protection, against extradition.

“. . . today, the government of the republic handed over Mr. Guzmán to the authorities of the Unites States of America,” the statement said.

The newspaper Milenio reported that the former cartel boss had been transferred from Cefereso No. 9 in Juárez to that city’s international airport to be flown to the U.S.

CNN reported that it had been told by a U.S. official that Mexican authorities had planned to hand Guzmán over before tomorrow’s inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump.

Government officials said last fall they expected the hand-over to take place early this year. January marks the first anniversary of Guzman’s capture in Sinaloa, six months after a spectacular escape through a 1.5-kilometer tunnel from the Altiplano federal prison in the State of México.

He had been in custody since February 14 when he was arrested in Mazatlán.

In the U.S. he will face charges of money laundering, drug trafficking, kidnapping and murder.

Stories from our archives that you might enjoy </s> A Mexican town’s entire police force has been arrested in connection with the slaying of a mayoral candidate.

The 28 officers from the town of Ocampo in the western state of Michoacan were arrested Sunday on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Fernando Angeles Juarez.

Juarez, 64, was running as the candidate for the center-left Party of the Democratic Revolution in Ocampo, before being shot dead June 21.

State officials took the cops in for having alleged ties with criminal groups possibly involved in the candidate’s killing, El Universal reported.

Public Security Director Venancio Colin was chased out by 16 Ocampo cops in a hail of bullets when he first tried to arrest them Saturday, sources told the paper.

He came back Sunday with reinforcements and arrested the entire force, who were cuffed and taken to the state capital for questioning.

Juarez, a successful businessman with little previous political experience, was the third politician to be killed in Michoacan in just over a week, the BBC reported.

“He couldn’t stand seeing so much poverty, inequality and corruption and so he decided to run,” one of his closest friends, Miguel Malagón, told El Universal.

Mexico will vote for a new president July 1, alongside more than 3,000 federal, state and municipal posts.

More than 1,000 candidates have dropped out of local races ahead of the elections because they fear being gunned down.

Drug cartels are suspected in many murders of politicians and the 2018 campaign has been a bloody one — with dozens of politicians, candidates and activists murdered by gangsters.

On June 12, congressional candidate Fernando Purón was shot in the head point-blank as he posed for a selfie after an election debate in Piedras Negras.
Presidential candidate Mario Estrada [es] is captured in the United States because of his alleged connections with the international drug trafficking Sinaloa Cartel. The United States Department of Justice says in a statement that Estrada had requested the murder of political rivals to win the presidency in exchange for granting control of airports and ports in the country to these groups. The presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 16.