WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on the announcement by the Mexican government of plans to extradite Chapo Guzman to the United States:

"I am pleased that the Mexican government plans to extradite Chapo Guzman to the United States. Guzman's extradition is a sign of the strength of our bilateral relationship and will demonstrate to drug traffickers and other criminal elements in Mexico that their actions have consequences. Just as in our relationship with Colombia, extradition serves as a powerful tool against drug kingpins in Mexico. As the Mexican government combats drug-related violence, we must continue to support the extradition of Mexico's most violent criminals while also providing assistance to the country's justice system as it carries out crucial reforms. A robust Mexican justice and prison system will be a win-win for citizens on both sides of our border.

"The U.S.-Mexico security partnership is more important now than ever. It is shocking that at a time when we are dealing with matters as important as the capture and extradition of the most wanted drug trafficker in the world, we have no U.S. Ambassador in Mexico. I urge Senator Rubio to lift his hold on Roberta Jacobson's nomination to be our next Ambassador in Mexico immediately. There is no one more qualified than Roberta to serve in Mexico, and her service there is desperately needed."

###