US

Second Mexican judge approves "El Chapo's" extradition

Associated Press
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FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2016 file photo, Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by army soldiers to a waiting helicopter, at a federal hangar in Mexico City, after he was recaptured from breaking out of a maximum security prison in Mexico. The Spanish-language network Telemundo says it hopes to continue its growth with a non-traditional programming strategy that will include projects based on the story of drug lord El Chapo, the life of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and the late singer Jenni Rivera. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2016 file photo, Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted by army soldiers to a waiting helicopter, at a federal hangar in Mexico City, after he was recaptured from breaking out of a maximum security prison in Mexico. The Spanish-language network Telemundo says it hopes to continue its growth with a non-traditional programming strategy that will include projects based on the story of drug lord El Chapo, the life of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and the late singer Jenni Rivera. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) (The Associated Press)

A second Mexican judge has ruled that the extradition of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States can go forward.

The process still awaits approval of Mexico's foreign ministry. The judge's decision announced by the courts Monday was on an extradition request from a federal court in Texas.

Last week, another judge made the same determination on a separate extradition request from a federal court in California.

The second decision starts another 20-day period during which the foreign affairs ministry can decide to allow the extradition. If it approves the extradition, Guzman's lawyers have the ability to appeal, making it possible that the extradition of the leader of the Sinaloa cartel could still be months away.