Drug King's Wife Has Babies in US
Sept. 27, 2011— -- The wife of Mexico's most powerful drug lord came to the U.S. to deliver twin girls in a Los Angeles hospital, according to a newspaper report today.
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's wife Emma Coronel, a dual US-Mexican citizen, traveled to L.A. in July and delivered twin girls on August 15, according to the Los Angeles Times. She then returned with her daughters to Mexico, where her husband is thought to be surrounded by heavily armed soldiers in remote mountain areas.
The space for "father's name" on the birth certificates was left blank, the paper reported.
Guzman is alleged by the Drug Enforcement Agency to be partly responsible for nearly 200 tons of cocaine smuggled into the U.S. and $5.8 billion in narcotics profits smuggled out of the U.S. since 1990.
The Drug Enforcement Administration told the newspaper they were aware of Emma Coronel's movements, but could not arrest her because there are no charges against her. They did not detain her for information about Guzman's whereabouts because he is thought to be too well-protected to arrest, according to the report.
Antelope Valley Hospital would not comment about Coronel's delivery, though a nurse in the Couplet Care department said she did not remember Coronel specifically and the press department was not immediately aware of any issues surrounding Coronel's stay.
Guzman, 54, married Coronel, 22, four years ago after he saw her in a beauty pageant, according to the report. Coronel was crowned Miss Coffee and Guava at the pageant, and the two married a few months later. Coronel is the niece of Guzman's former business partner, Igancio "Nacho" Coronel, who controlled the methamphetamine trade within Guzman's cartel. He was killed last year.
The US Department of Justice offers $5 million for information leading to Guzman's arrest.
The DEA did not return calls for comment.
