Mexican drug lord El Chapo Guzman 'requests US extradition' Published duration 2 March 2016

image copyright AFP image caption Guzman is being held at the same jail he escaped from, El Altiplano, 90km outside Mexico city

The jailed Mexican drug lord, Joaquin Guzman, has asked to be extradited to the United States rapidly so he can receive better treatment in prison.

His lawyer said Guzman had asked him to stop fighting his extradition because guards at his prison would not let him sleep.

"El Chapo" Guzman was recaptured in January, six months after he escaped from prison.

Prison authorities say he is woken and checked every four hours.

Two US courts have requested Guzman's extradition on charges of drug trafficking in California, and murder in Texas.

But Guzman's defence teams filed an estimated nine appeals against his extradition.

Guzman's lawyer, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, said his client had told him to negotiate with the US authorities for a lighter sentence and confinement at a medium-security prison.

image copyright AFP image caption Guzman's defence team had previously kitted themselves out with T-shirts with the message "Extradition-Never!!"

image copyright AFP image caption Guzman says his jail regime is too harsh

Speaking on a Mexican radio station, Radio Formula, he said: "He has reached his limit, it is an act of desperation."

Guzman escaped down a 1.5 km (1 mile) tunnel from the Altiplano maximum security prison outside Mexico City and was on the run for six months.

He was returned to the prison in January but to a much harsher regime.

Mr Rodriguez said his client was now kept isolated and segregated and complains his cell is small, cold and he does not see the sun.

Previously, Guzman said he had been given an hour-and-a-half every day to talk to his lawyer and an hour in the prison patio.

Every nine days, he had been allowed a four-hour conjugal visit and a four-hour family visit.