El Chapo: 'politicians hold the real power in drug trade'

From within the most secure prison in the United States, Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is claiming that high-level officials hold the power in the drug trade. 

Through his attorney, Mariel Colon, El Chapo said that authorities would have to go after “politicians on both sides of the border” for the drug war to really stop. 

"For years, authorities have put away these alleged leaders but it is not serving any purpose, but if you go after politicians that are allowing this to happen, it's a different thing," Colón told Insider. "That's what he has expressed before. That's what he thinks."

"Every new US president has his trophy. With Trump [it] was Chapo. After him, Biden has his trophy as well," Colón added. "It's always been just politics."

The former head of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel was extradited to the U.S. five years ago and was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years on multiple drug-related charges. He is being held in solitary confinement at what is considered America’s most secure prison, ADX Florence in Colorado. 

Guzman, who is in complete isolation, can only leave his 7x12 foot cell for one hour a day and is allowed 15 minutes of phone calls a month with his mother, his youngest child, and one of his sisters. 

"Guzmán has been in complete isolation. He had no access to any recreational area or access to any other area around the prison other than his cell," Colón said.

According to U.S. authorities, the security measures taken against El Chapo are meant to prevent him from escaping or engaging in illegal activity, after he famously escaped from two maximum-security prisons in Mexico.