Roundup: U.S. extradition of drug lord Guzman depends on Mexico

The Mexican government Friday recapured the most wanted man in the world, Joaquin Guzman Loera, at the town of Los Mochis in Mexico's northwestern state of Sinaloa, thanks to an anonymous tip-off.

The Sinaloa cartel leader, nicknamed "El Chapo," or Shorty, was recaptured by Mexican police and marines in an early morning raid six months after his second prison break.

"Finding, following and recapturing him was the result of prolonged efforts by our intelligence, security and justice services. This is a success for the state," Mexican President Pena Nieto told a press conference Friday afternoon, ensuring Guzman "no longer represents a threat for Mexican society."

The recapture of Guzman has been hailed by many parties, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which had asked the Mexican government to extradite Guzman and even put up its own reward worth 5 million U.S. dollars for his arrest.

However, concerns are very real as to whether the Mexican government can hold Guzman after he escaped from maximum-security prisons twice in the past.

On July 11, 2015, Guzman escaped from the Altiplano high-security prison in the central State of Mexico after his accomplices dug a mile-long tunnel straight to his jail cell. In 2001, he busted out of the Puente Grande penitentiary when a janitor wheeled him out in a laundry cart.

Since then, Mexican authorities have searched for him unceasingly. A reward of 3.8 million U.S. dollars was also put up for any information leading to his capture.

Prior to Guzman's escape in 2015, the U.S. had repeatedly asked for his extradition, which Mexico had refused on principle, for having the U.S. try and imprison Mexico's top criminal would humiliate the country and its sovereignty.

This time, however, the winds seem to be turning.

On Friday, members of two of Mexico's major parties, the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the National Action Party, called for Guzman's swift extradition, although Nieto assured the public that recapturing Guzman means the citizens can trust the government.

Cesar Camacho, PRI's president, called directly on the federal government not to avoid the topic of extradition.

"An efficient and voluntary transfer (of Guzman to the U.S.) should not be ruled out," Camacho told the Mexican Congress.

For Alejandro Hope, a security expert, Guzman's recapture "is a success" for the Mexican government, but he believes that Guzman "must be extradited to the U.S." to avoid a third escape.

President Nieto has not commented on the issue so far.

Even if Guzman were to be extradited, the eventual location of his trial would remain uncertain.

Numerous cities, including Chicago, New York, El Paso, Miami and San Diego, have all claimed the right to try him for drug trafficking. If found guilty, Guzman would likely spend the rest of his life in prison in the U.S.

On Friday, a DEA official told NBC News that the U.S. had helped Mexico locate Guzman again ahead of his third capture, and that it would be difficult for Nieto to take the risk of another escape by the drug lord. Endi