‘El Chapo’ consort opens up about cartels’ ruthlessness
A key government witness at the U.S. trial of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman spelled out the bloodshed and other cold realities of international drug-trafficking Tuesday without expressing regret or making excuses.
Former Colombian kingpin Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia was asked on cross-examination by a lawyer for Guzman whether he ordered scores of murders, whether he kept a ledger that showed how much hit men were paid, and whether he repeatedly lied to and bribed Colombian authorities with tens of millions of dollars to stay in business.
Among the matter-of-fact answers he gave through a Spanish interpreter: “Totally correct.” ”Obviously.” ”At the time, of course I lied.” ”That’s how it was, sir.”