This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/world/americas/video-of-el-chapo-prison-break-surfaces.html

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
‘El Chapo’ Prison Escape Video Released in Mexico ‘El Chapo’ May Have Used Bird to Test Escape Tunnel Air
(35 minutes later)
MEXICO CITY — The camera was watching when Mexico’s most notorious drug lord, Joaquín Guzmán Loera — known as El Chapo, or Shorty — casually walked across his cell, crouched and broke out of prison through a hatch in his shower. MEXICO CITY — To plot his escape from the most secure prison in Mexico, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the drug kingpin known as El Chapo, is believed to have relied on countless little birds to whisper information into his ear and help whisk him to freedom.
Surveillance video released by Mexican government officials on Tuesday shows the moment of Mr. Guzmán’s brazen escape from the highest-security prison in Mexico last weekend. Now, it appears that at least one of them was an actual bird.
Government officials visiting Mr. Guzmán’s cell after his breakout discovered the body of a small bird sitting in his trash can. The bird, they believe, was used to test the air quality of the subterranean tunnel through which Mr. Guzmán vanished, according to an official helping to coordinate the manhunt.
Officials have even given the little bird a name: “Chapito.”
Among the many marvels of the kingpin’s escape, now comes what may have been the old-fashioned use of a bird to determine if the air was breathable in the tunnel, which ran for about a mile and was as deep as 30 feet.
Like coal miners who used canaries to detect dangerous gases like carbon monoxide, the thinking goes, the architects of Mr. Guzmán’s tunnel wanted to ensure that their boss did not pass out on his long walk to freedom.
It was only one of many signs of the attention to detail: the tunnel had lighting, a motorcycle on rails to transport the displaced earth and oxygen tanks. The designers even built the tunnel high enough so that Mr. Guzmán, whose nickname means “Shorty,” could walking out while standing.
Amazingly, the escape happened while a camera was watching over Mr. Guzmán.
Surveillance video released by Mexican government officials on Tuesday shows the moment of Mr. Guzmán’s brazen escape, as he casually walked across his cell, crouched over and disappeared through a hatch in his shower.
Mr. Guzmán, leader of the multibillion-dollar Sinaloa Cartel, had evaded prison for 13 years before he was captured last year by American and Mexican authorities at the seaside resort of Mazatlán, Mexico. He is notorious for ordering the construction of tunnels both to transport drugs and to evade the authorities.Mr. Guzmán, leader of the multibillion-dollar Sinaloa Cartel, had evaded prison for 13 years before he was captured last year by American and Mexican authorities at the seaside resort of Mazatlán, Mexico. He is notorious for ordering the construction of tunnels both to transport drugs and to evade the authorities.
In the video, he is seen crouching behind a partial wall meant to give prisoners privacy while showering — and then he is gone. In the video, he is seen bending behind a partial wall meant to give prisoners privacy while showering — and then he is gone.
The authorities discovered a hole, about 20 inches on each side, in the shower floor. About 30 feet beneath it, they found a tunnel about a mile long, equipped with lighting, ventilation and a motorcycle on rails used to transport the earth displaced by the grand dig.
The tunnel, which was tall enough for Mr. Guzman to stand up in, ended at a construction site.
The government has begun a widespread search to recapture Mr. Guzmán. The head of the maximum security prison has been fired, as have a host of other officials involved with the nation’s prison system. More than 40 guards and staff members at the prison are also being questioned.The government has begun a widespread search to recapture Mr. Guzmán. The head of the maximum security prison has been fired, as have a host of other officials involved with the nation’s prison system. More than 40 guards and staff members at the prison are also being questioned.
“It’s kind of like a joke,” Carl Pike, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration official told The New York Times on Tuesday. “ ‘Gee, a tunnel. Who would have thought?’ It’s kind of a no-brainer.”“It’s kind of like a joke,” Carl Pike, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration official told The New York Times on Tuesday. “ ‘Gee, a tunnel. Who would have thought?’ It’s kind of a no-brainer.”
American officials have offered a wide variety of aid to help in the manhunt for Mr. Guzmán, including drones, marshals, even a special task force.American officials have offered a wide variety of aid to help in the manhunt for Mr. Guzmán, including drones, marshals, even a special task force.
But officials on both sides of the border say that the Mexican government has kept the Americans at bay, without responding the offer of help, confounding law enforcement officials and stalling efforts to recapture Mr. Guzmán.But officials on both sides of the border say that the Mexican government has kept the Americans at bay, without responding the offer of help, confounding law enforcement officials and stalling efforts to recapture Mr. Guzmán.
Mexican officials, who spoke Tuesday night about the prison video, said they had found nothing odd or out of the ordinary about Mr. Guzman’s behavior before his flight. But moments after Mr. Guzmán passed through the opening in the bathroom area, he vanished from the video feed, the prison and Mexican custody – for the second time. Mexican officials, who spoke Tuesday night about the prison video, said they had found nothing odd or out of the ordinary about Mr. Guzmán’s behavior before his flight. But moments after Mr. Guzmán passed through the opening in the bathroom area, he vanished from the video feed, the prison and Mexican custody – for the second time.
By some accounts, the last time Mr. Guzmán escaped, in 2001, he hid in a laundry cart.By some accounts, the last time Mr. Guzmán escaped, in 2001, he hid in a laundry cart.
Mr. Guzman is perhaps the best-financed fugitive in the world. Forbes magazine once estimated his wealth at nearly a billion dollars. With the resources and loyalists available to him across the country, his recapture will be a tall order. Mr. Guzmán is perhaps the best-financed fugitive in the world. Forbes magazine once estimated his wealth at nearly a billion dollars. With the resources and loyalists available to him across the country, his recapture will be a tall order.
The government has deployed hundreds of people across the country to monitor roads, airports and transit hubs.The government has deployed hundreds of people across the country to monitor roads, airports and transit hubs.
United States Drug Enforcement Administration documents show that the agency warned Mexican officials 16 months ago about an escape attempt, immediately after Mr. Guzmán was caught, according to The Associated Press.United States Drug Enforcement Administration documents show that the agency warned Mexican officials 16 months ago about an escape attempt, immediately after Mr. Guzmán was caught, according to The Associated Press.