Report: Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' Guzmán got erectile dysfunction treatment while on the run

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera was re-captured for the third time by Mexican Marines on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera was re-captured for the third time by Mexican Marines on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. Photo: ElBlogDelNarco.com Photo: ElBlogDelNarco.com Image 1 of / 56 Caption Close Report: Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' Guzmán got erectile dysfunction treatment while on the run 1 / 56 Back to Gallery

Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán took time out of his busy schedule fleeing Mexican authorities to take care of his "chapo," according to media reports.

As the increasingly strange saga behind the recapture of the world's most wanted drug trafficker unfolds, Mexican newspaper Reforma reported that the Sinaloa cartel leader underwent surgery at a Tijuana hospital to treat his erectile dysfunction while he was on the run from law enforcement.

This required Guzmán to travel outside of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, home to both Guzmán and the Sinaloa cartel. This was reportedly the only time he went outside his home turf after escaping the maximum-security Antiplano prison near Mexico City in July.

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According to sources close to the investigation that spoke to Reforma, Guzmán had a testicular implant designed to improve his blood flow and get rid of his impotence.

Mexican journalist Carlos Loret, according to Sin Embargo, said this procedure required the use of an operating room and was impossible to perform in the Sinaloan mountain range where Guzmán was hiding.

Authorities captured Guzmán at a home is Los Mochis on January 8 after a firefight that left one Mexican marine and six of Guzmán's associates dead.

There, authorities found injectable testosterone and a prescription for 4,000 pesos worth of drugs meant to improve impotence along with syringes, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Guzmán carried on a series of flirtatious text messages with Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, who helped set up the drug lord's now infamous interview with actor Sean Penn for Rolling Stone magazine.

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Penn told "60 Minutes" that his "article has failed" after the conversation surrounding the controversial piece focused on Penn's tactics of obtaining the interview rather than drug policy.

Guzmán is currently being held in the Antiplano prison where he escaped from in July.

The Mexican government has initiated a process to extradite Guzmán to the United States.

It's not clear how long it may take to extradite the drug lord if the push is successful: Mike Vigil, former DEA chief of international operations, told mySA.com that it could take up to six years for Guzmán to be extradited if Guzmán's lawyers find ways to gum up the process — and if the judge and Mexico's ministry of foreign relations move to send him to the United States.

In the meantime, Guzmán could find a way to escape from the Antiplano prison a second time, Vigil said.

"Time is on his side," Vigil said.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports