Meet Joaquin Guzman, Forbes bad man on the list of the most powerful people in the world. How did he get there? Why should we care? See his beautiful mugshot, portfolio, and financial details here.
He is listed as #41 on the Forbes list of 500 most powerful people in the world, one of two Mexicans on the list. The other is a respectable business man, perhaps signaling the blending of cultures in Mexico between crime and business.
As a biography Joaquin Guzman is nicknamed El Chapo which is Spanish for ”Shorty.” Hard to believe that he likes that nickname since nobody scary should be called Shorty. He was born April 4, 1957 which makes him only 52 years old.
But scary he is as the head of the head of the Sinaloa cartel, a drug-trafficking organization unparalleled in Mexico. They are responsible for smuggling billions of dollars of cocaine and other narcotics into the United States each year, which has landed El Chapo, Joaquin Guzman on Forbes list three times. Aye yi yi yi.
Joaquin Guzman has been at the center of the Mexican government’s anti-drug trafficking crackdown which as sparked two years of horrific violence south of the border. At this point it is unclear who is winning except we know that the tourism trade is losing. Fear of violence is keeping Americans from traveling to Mexico.
To continue his biography Joaquin Guzman escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001. He was on orders for deportation to the United States since everyone figured he would bribe his way out of prison in Mexico. Sure enough rumor is that guards helped him escape in a laundry truck. He has been on the country’s most wanted list since then, managing to marry an 18 year old bride while on the run.
So there you have it. Joaquin Guzman, Forbes, and the most powerful people in the world. Does he belong on this list? See the video and tell us your thoughts.
Public Enemy #1 (Joaquin Guzman, Forbes)
November 16th, 2009 at 6:33 am
I dont think he should. The richest criminal in the world is still just a criminal. If you have a turd and put a bow on it, its still just a turd. He may have enough funds to qualify for forbes, but if the money is aquired illegaly, he should be treated as if he were broke.
November 16th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Iread in the paper sunday, 15 people were killed in jaurez in one day ,2 children ,a collage professor,among others by the drug carttels. and you want to raise his stature by publishing this?? whose garbage now?
November 16th, 2009 at 7:31 am
What better way to draw attention and perhaps catch him. His name and face is not everywhere. Think people, just think of the publicity this has gotten for the FBI and CIA. Soon you will hear of his capture.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Truth be told legalization would bring this guy to his knees. Just as he was refered to al capone in the video, Al Capone was crushed when prohibition was lifted his monies went away and that left him vunerable. which evetually led to his going away!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:51 am
[...] made the Forbes richest list by having a net worth around 1 billion dollars. Now, Joaquin Guzman makes it onto the Forbes most powerful people in the world [...]
November 16th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
No, this doesn’t even remotely suggest Mexican business and cartels are blending. Organized crime influence in Mexico is limited to drug trafficking and the law enforcement players combating its spread, and is not at all like how in other countries it took over legitimate businesses like casinos, retail, garbage collection, construction, etc.
@Randy: I agree it’s a good way to focus attention and maybe improve chances of capturing him, but it won’t really be of much use to the CIA, or FBI since they’re on payroll.