Drug boss ‘El Chapo’s’ new prison rated as Mexico’s worst

In this Jan. 8, 2016 file photo, Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is escorted by army soldiers to a waiting helicopter, at a federal hangar in Mexico City, after he was recaptured from breaking out of a maximum security prison in Mexico. The History channel says it’s developing a drama series focusing on Guzman’s story. Last year, Guzman had broken out of prison and was on the run when he had a secret meeting with Mexican actress Kate del Castillo and Sean Penn. The actor wrote about it for Rolling Stone. AP

MEXICO CITY — The northern Mexico prison where authorities suddenly transferred convicted drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is rated as the worst in the federal penitentiary system by human rights officials.

A 2015 report by the governmental National Human Rights Commission gave the Cefereso No. 9 in Ciudad Juarez, which borders Texas, a 6.63 rating on a scale of 0 to 10. That’s the lowest for any of Mexico’s 21 federal prisons.

By comparison, the maximum-security Altiplano facility where Guzman was confined before was 10th best with a rating of 7.32.

However the Cefereso No. 9 scores well on “conditions of governability.” That could indicate authorities believe they can control Guzman’s environment there and reduce the risk of him pulling off a third brazen jailbreak.

The Sinaloa cartel boss was transferred Saturday. TVJ