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Two early-morning reports from Guadalajara. Both feature a replay of the "El Chapo" piece, with comments from Michael before and after.
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JOHN
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the most news in the
morning. Right now President Obama is in Mexico. One
of the big issues that he's tackling is the
escalating violence along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Nearly all of it drug-related. And much of the
carnage can be blamed on one of the world's most
wanted men. Michael Ware live in Guadalajara, Mexico
for us this morning. Michael, who are we talking
about?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, who we're
talking about is Mexico's most wanted man with a $5
million American government bounty on his head. El
Chapo Guzman. The head of the Siniloa cartel and if
you want any kind of barometer about how seriously
America is or is not fighting this war on drugs, then
El Chapo is the man to look to. Let's take a look at
this package.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This
man makes a living mockery of America's war on drugs.
He is Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, one of the world's
richest men and Mexico's Most Wanted with a $5
million U.S. government bounty on his head.
RALPH REYES, DEA MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA CHIEF:
Chapo is the face. He is the guy who is currently at
war against the government of Mexico, against law
enforcement and military forces.
WARE: At war because El Chapo heads the
ultra-violent, ultra-lucrative Sinaloa drug cartel,
his exploits legendary.
"El Chapo Guzman is like a God in Mexico," says
Antonio Ortega. "Nobody sees him, but he's
everywhere. He's a myth."
Criminal lawyer Antonio Ortega is one of the very few
Mexicans daring enough to speak of El Chapo on
camera, having met the man himself while El Chapo was
here in Puente Grande Prison before El Chapo escaped
in 2001.
"When you sit with him," says Ortega, "you see a
human contradiction.
"You see a strong man, intelligent and sensitive at
the same time," Ortega told me in this Mexico City
park. "You don't see a narco trafficker. You don't
see a killer or assassin. He doesn't have scars. He
doesn't have that funny face. He doesn't have it. He
looks at you deeply, at the eyes, like an x-ray
machine. He can look right inside."
And El Chapo's prison life, says the lawyer, was the
stuff of legend. Nineteen days before his escape, El
Chapo hosted a New Year's Eve party with another
cartel boss. "There was a band playing. There were
ladies. There was alcohol, all the best brands,"
Ortega told me. "It was like a party in one of the
best clubs in Manhattan."
REYES: He has that Robin Hood persona, in that he's
constantly attending to the poor, the needs of the
poor and the people that surround him.
WARE: On the run, El Chapo's business continued to
flourish, and investigators say, his orders followed.
Ten months ago, this mutilated body appeared outside
a Mexican police station, the message hanging over
his corpse signed in El Chapo's name.
Many Mexicans believe El Chapo's whereabouts are no
mystery. In April, this Catholic archbishop, Hector
Gonzalez Martinez, pronounced everybody knows his
whereabouts except the authorities, claiming El Chapo
is in these mountains in the country's north, not far
from the U.S. border.
El Chapo's exploits continue to undermine Mexican
President Felipe Calderon, especially when "Forbes"
magazine named El Chapo 701st on the world's rich
list, with a net worth of $1 billion.
"We deeply regret what seems like a campaign against
Mexico, which has escalated," said President
Calderon. "First from public opinion and now even
magazines which are not only attacking and lying
about the situation, but are also praising
criminals."
This from a president who upped the ante in the drug
war, sending over 40,000 Mexican Army soldiers into
the streets of his own cities in a bid to crush the
cartels, a bid backed by U.S. President Barack Obama.
OBAMA: It's important that the United States steps up
and cooperates effectively in battling the adverse
effects of drug trafficking.
WARE: That was back in June. Since then, the
slaughter in Mexico has continued, and El Chapo's
drugs have continued to pour into America.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WARE: And El Chapo continues, John, to be the face of
the Obama administration's unwinnable war against the
drug cartels here in Mexico. One man alone, the
leader of just one cartel, is personally worth twice
as much money as America is contributing each year to
the drug war here in Mexico. And while all of Mexico
holds its breath waiting for President Obama to
finally step up as the president said in June, no one
is going to be expecting any grand announcements at
this summit.
As the national security adviser said just two days
ago, this talk here in Mexico will further talks that
will lead to talks that hopefully will lead to an
agreement for America to finally start fighting the
war on drugs -- John.
ROBERTS: A lot of talking going on. No question about
that. Michael Ware for us in Guadalajara. Michael,
thanks so much.