Chapo Guzmán Complains About Inability to Contact Lawyer

NEW YORK, United States — Joaquín “Chapo” Guzmán, the notorious co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, has expressed frustration over his inability to communicate with his attorney, Israel José Encinosa. In a handwritten letter dated July 15, 2025, Guzmán addressed Judge Brian Cogan, who sentenced him to life in prison for drug trafficking in the U.S.

In the letter, Guzmán stated that despite Cogan’s authorization three weeks prior allowing Encinosa to visit him and communicate via phone, those permissions have yet to be enacted. Guzmán pointed out that Encinosa has been struggling for nearly ten months to get the government’s approval to visit him. “For me, it is vital,” he emphasized in his correspondence.

Since his conviction in 2019 for leading a large-scale drug smuggling operation, Guzmán has been held at ADX Florence in Colorado, known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies.” This facility houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States.

Guzmán’s plea follows a pattern of complaints regarding his conditions in maximum-security incarceration. He has reported psychological torment due to restricted access to sunlight, lack of communication with other inmates, and being denied visits from family members, including his wife Emma Coronel. Coronel is also serving time for drug trafficking and money laundering.

The letter to Judge Cogan, revealed to the media earlier this week, reiterates his desperate request for the court’s assistance in facilitating communication with his lawyer. “Encinosa has been battling for ten months to obtain permission to visit me and communicate by phone,” Guzmán wrote. “I thank you for ordering the government to allow him to visit me and speak on the phone. I ask you to enforce this order again, as it is vital for my defense.”

Guzmán, known for his two dramatic escapes from Mexican prisons, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017. Since his life sentence, he has also attempted to secure a new trial, requests that have consistently been denied. The ongoing requests for proper legal representation come at a time when family members, including his sons Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López, are facing serious charges in the U.S. related to drug trafficking.