Manhunt Continues For Escaped Drug Lord 'El Chapo'

04:51

July 13, 2015

Guatemalan migration director Carlos Pac shows a picture of Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera during a press conference in Guatemala City on July 12, 2015. The security authorities of Guatemala are in alert after the escape of the leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, reported Sunday an official source. AFP PHOTO / Johan ORDONEZ (Photo credit should read JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

A massive manhunt is underway in Mexico for Joaquin Guzman, also known as "El Chapo," the country's most notorious drug lord. It has been more than 36 hours since he escaped from Mexico's most secure prison through a hole in the floor of his prison shower, and down a highly sophisticated tunnel more than a mile long.

This is the second time El Chapo has escaped from one of Mexico's maximum security prisons. It's an enormous blow to the Mexican government, which had touted his capture, last winter, as a huge achievement in its war against the drug cartels.

Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti talks with NPR's John Burnett about Guzman and his escape.

Reporter

John Burnett, southwest correspondent at NPR. He tweets @radiobigtex.

This segment aired on July 13, 2015.