MEXICO. - The United States offered to capture the Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in a 15 minute operation that would be "simple and quick", but the Mexican military opposed to it, said the journalist Jesus Esquivel to Efe.

"The U.S. intelligence services located him, they know where he was and they were ready to catch him," said Esquivel, who currently is presenting his book "La DEA en Mexico" (The DEA in Mexico).

The Mexican president Felipe Calderon (2006-2012) wanted the United States to catch the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, but the Army and Navy "disagreed and stopped the operation", because in this plan only U.S. personnel would be involved, said Esquivel.

Jose Baeza, a member of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) who was interviewed by Esquivel, said that they gave all the information to the Mexican Government twice to catch el Chapo, but in both occasions he managed to escape on ATVs in the mountains.

He said the drug lord remains free thanks to the protection he receives from several politicians who are at various levels of government, but refrained from mentioning their names.

"The day that they arrest certain politicians, they will then discover many truths about the mysteries of "El Chapo" and the Sinaloa cartel," said the agent.

The Mexican Government said that they know where Guzman Loera is at, due to the information they have received from the DEA and other agencies, and also from their own information systems, military and civilians. They have a list of all of his assets.

The correspondent of the Mexican magazine Proceso in Washington reveals in his book that the Pentagon prepared a plan to catch "El Chapo", in an operation similar to that which led to the death of Osama Bin Laden.

According to Esquivel, "Washington has not discarded the plan" and will propose it to the current Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, who took office on December 1, 2012.

"The capture of this drug lord- if Mexicans allow for it- would be as easy as taking candy from a baby" in an operation that would be "simple and quick", pointed out Esquivel.

This operation would be performed by three U.S. commandos trained in stealth operations in enemy territory and supported by high-tech three aircrafts remotely operated and armed with missiles.

According to the plan, military forces would enter the area by helicopter equipped with guns and two of the groups would be responsible for the main operation, while the third would cover their backs in case of retaliation by the cartel hitmen.

"In 10 or 15 minutes the two assault teams would catch the target" during an operation that would be run in real time from the Pentagon and even from the offices of the National Security Council in the White House.

The plan "will not involve the Mexican military and Mexican soldiers would only enter to observe the results."

U.S. troops would have to dress "in some sort of uniform belonging to the Mexican Federal Police," in order to "simulate Mexican participation" in the operation.

United States considers this mission a "priority," said the journalist, as Guzman heads the most powerful criminal organization in the world, according to the Treasury Department.

Editiorial@Sandiegored.com

Omar.Martinez@Sandiegored.com