When Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman escaped from a maximum-security prison in Mexico last weekend, the drug lord, whose empire has played a large role in violence on the Mexico-U.S. border, sparked Internet memes aplenty. But he also gave Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fresh ammunition for his rants about illegal immigration.
Trump has gone on record again and again describing the evils of Mexicans who cross over into the U.S. illegally. He called them “rapists” and drug dealers in his speech announcing his candidacy for president.
But as Trump has inveighed against Mexicans on Twitter, he’s attracted El Chapo’s attention. The account allegedly run by one of El Chapo’s sons has threatened violence against the real-estate mogul while calling him a homophobic slur. Trump has reportedly asked the FBI to investigate El Chapo, who still is on the loose and who has reportedly been taunting Mexican officials with photos of him riding in an airplane and enjoying a beer.
First, here’s Trump’s initial take on Guzman’s escape.
Can you envision Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton negotiating with ‘El Chapo’, the Mexican drug lord who escaped from prison? ….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
…Trump, however, would kick his ass!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
After a few hours of reflection, Trump continued his verbal assault.
El Chapo and the Mexican drug cartels use the border unimpeded like it was a vacuum cleaner, sucking drugs and death right into the U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
….likewise, billions of dollars gets brought into Mexico through the border. We get the killers, drugs & crime, they get the money!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
When will people, and the media, start to apologize to me for my statement, “Mexico is sending….”, which turned out to be true? El Chapo
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 13, 2015
Whoever runs El Chapo’s account then responded violently.
According to Mediaite, that tweet translates to “Keep fucking around and I’m gonna make you swallow your bitch words you fucking whitey milkshitter.” The final word is a Mexican homophobic slur.
“I’m fighting for much more than myself,” Trump said in an interview after it was reported that he’d contacted the FBI. “I’m fighting for the future of our country which is being overrun by criminals. You can’t be intimidated. This is too important.”
Photo via Gage Skidmore/Flickr (CC BY 2.0) | Remix by Max Fleishman
