GUATEMALA: An alleged drug lord wanted by U.S. authorities for drug trafficking is arrested

Record ID: 318023

  • Title: GUATEMALA: An alleged drug lord wanted by U.S. authorities for drug trafficking is arrested
  • Date: 9th November 2011
  • Summary: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (NOVEMBER 08, 2011) (REUTERS) POLICEMEN GUARDING SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKER ELIO LORENZANA TALKING TO HIS LAWYER LORENZANA'S HANDCUFFED HANDS VARIOUS OF LORENZANA TALKING TO LAWYER VARIOUS OF PHOTOS OF LORENZANA FAMILY ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) INTERIOR MINISTER CARLOS MENOCAL, SAYING: "We managed to arrest Elio or Eliu Lorenzana Cordon. This person is on the most wanted list with an arrest warrant to be extradited to the United States. This capture is important for Guatemalan justice and information exchange between Guatemala and the United States. We managed to arrest him using our special forces, I insist under the co-ordination of the public ministry and of course the U.S. anti-drugs agency with helped with information. The operative was directed by Guatemalan authorities. No shots were fired."
  • Embargoed: 24th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
  • Country: Guatemala
  • Reuters ID: LVAEB875ODAKG1NR9HSM3JSXVWFW
  • Story Text: Guatemalan police arrested a drug lord wanted on drug trafficking charges in the United States and presented him to the media on Tuesday (November 08) in Guatemala City.
    Lorenzana is the son of 71-year-old Waldemar Lorenzana, alias "El Patriarca" (The Patriarch) who was arrested in April for drug trafficking. The U.S. offered $200,000 dollars for his capture.
    He was arrested on Tuesday in the village of Los Llanos, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) east of Guatemala City, during a police raid.
    No shots were fired, Interior Minister Carlos Menocal, told reporters during a news conference.
    "We managed to arrest Elio or Eliu Lorenzana Cordon. This person is on the most wanted list with an arrest warrant to be extradited to the United States. This capture is important for Guatemalan justice and information exchange between Guatemala and the United States. We managed to arrest him using our special forces, I insist under the co-ordination of the public ministry and of course the U.S. anti-drugs agency with helped with information. The operative was directed by Guatemalan authorities. No shots were fired."
    The Lorenzana family own petrol stations and building, transportation and fruit export companies in Guatemala. They are accused of having links with the Mexican drug lords Ismael Zambada and Mexico's most wanted capo, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman both from the Sinaloa cartel.
    Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz said an extradition order was received in July, 2009 for his arrest.
    "After receiving an extradition order, which arrived from Guatemala since July, 2009, for the crimes of illegal international drug trafficking from the district court of Columbia in the United States."
    Lorenzana told reporters he is innocent.
    "I can't tell you because I haven't been told (what he is charged for). It depends on what they tell me. Thank God, I'm innocent."
    Similar arrest warrants are also in force for two other brothers, Haroldo and Waldemar.
    The Central America and Caribbean region continues to be used as a major transit point for the large-scale trafficking of illicit drugs because of its location at the crossroads of the main producing countries in South America and the consumer markets in North America and Europe.
    While the total amount of cocaine smuggled to North America has declined due to reduced demand, the proportion transiting through Central America has increased.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register