Officials deny allegation 'El Chapo' being treated worse than Hitler in prison

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Mexican government officials are denying allegations by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's lawyers that the drug lord is being treated worse than Adolf Hitler would be in prison.

Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, one of Guzman's three lawyers, told Radio Formula the Mexican government has been treating his client inhumanely.

"He has no access to his family, he has no access to his lawyers, he has no access to the most basic needs," Gonzalez Meza said. "He can't take his food, he can't sleep, that is, I think that even if they caught Adolf Hitler alive, they would not do to him what they are doing to Mr. Guzman Loera."

Juan Pablo Badillo, another of Guzman's lawyers, told Radio Formula in a separate interview that he has not been allowed to communicate with his client.

Mexico's Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong denied accusations that Guzman was being mistreated by prison officials, adding that Guzman had been visited by a lawyer on Tuesday.

"We're not going to make the mistake of violating due process and hand him an excuse to find a possible way out," Chong said.

Eduardo Guerrero, the head of Mexico's Administrative Office for Prevention and Rehabilitation, told Radio Formula that he also rejected claims that Guzman was being treated poorly and that his right to due process was breached.

Guerrero also said Guzman was found in great health.

"He was given blood tests, urine, prostate-specific antigen -- everything came with good health," Guerrero said. "I have in my possession the medical exams and he is in perfect health."

Guzman was captured on Friday in the city of Los Mochis in his home state of Sinaloa. On Sunday, the Mexican government announced that the extradition process for Guzman had formally begun.