According to reporting by Debate on June 11, 2026, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán once again reached out from his cell at the federal supermax prison ADX Florence in Colorado, sending what the publication described as his fifteenth letter to a New York court.
In this latest appeal, Guzmán reportedly shifted his focus away from complaints about prison conditions and instead sought political intervention. The letter asked the court to contact Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and assist in efforts to have him returned to Mexico. In a striking detail highlighted by Debate, Guzmán allegedly included the official address of Mexico’s National Palace as part of his request.
The former Sinaloa cartel leader argued that his 2017 transfer to the United States had been unlawful and expressed hope that his case could be reconsidered. The article reports that he also referenced the U.S. First Step Act, suggesting that he believed the legislation could provide a legal path toward relief, despite previous court decisions rejecting similar arguments.
Beyond legal matters, the letter reportedly contained personal appeals. Guzmán spoke about his family and his desire to restore communication and visitation with his wife, Emma Coronel, and their daughters. According to the report, concerns about family contact have appeared repeatedly in his correspondence from prison.
The article further notes that Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said Mexican authorities had not officially received any such request. He has reportedly stated that any formal legal process involving Guzmán would need to proceed through Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office.
As described by Debate, the letter ended not with any sign of imminent action, but as another attempt by Guzmán to seek attention from courts and governments on both sides of the border while serving his life sentence in one of the most secure prisons in the United States.
