On August 8, 2025, Rafael Caro Quintero, the former leader of the now-defunct Guadalajara Cartel, released a letter from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he remains incarcerated. In the letter, made public by journalist Arturo Ángel, Caro Quintero denounces what he describes as extreme isolation and treatment akin to that of a terrorist.
Caro Quintero, 72, was extradited to the United States earlier this year and is awaiting trial on charges including drug trafficking, money laundering, and the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. His defense team claims he is subject to Special Administrative Measures (SAMs), which severely restrict communication and confine him to a small, windowless cell for 23 hours a day during the week and 24 hours on weekends.
The letter, addressed to Judge Frederic Block of the Eastern District of New York, requests a hearing to review his detention conditions. His lawyers argue that the restrictions are based on “myths” and hinder both his legal defense and his physical and mental health.
Caro Quintero’s case is part of a broader wave of prosecutions against high-profile Mexican drug lords. Notably, the U.S. Department of Justice recently announced it would not seek the death penalty against him, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, also known as “El Viceroy,”
Once a dominant figure in Mexico’s drug trade, Caro Quintero’s fall from power and current legal battle highlight the enduring legacy and consequences of the country’s decades-long war on drugs. His letter adds a new layer to the ongoing debate over prison conditions and human rights in high-security U.S. facilities.
Source: Novedades
