U.S. prison authorities are facing criticism for the harsh treatment and lack of communication allegedly given to Genaro García Luna. According to his defense, he has lost a significant amount of weight - approximately 14 kilos.
Former Mexican Security Secretary Genaro García Luna Faces Challenges in U.S. Prison
Former Mexican Security Secretary Genaro García Luna is currently serving a 38-year prison sentence for narcotics trafficking and organized crime at ADX Florence, the most secure federal prison in the United States.
Since his transfer to the prison in July 2025, García Luna has reported limited improvements in his conditions but continues to denounce mistreatment, including strict solitary confinement and incommunicado detention.
According to his lawyers, César de Castro and Valerie Gotlib, they were only able to speak with García Luna since July 31, after several failed attempts. The lawyers have requested to postpone the presentation of his appeal, scheduled for September 19, to December 18.
García Luna's complaints include lack of access to basic amenities while at previous facilities, such as the inability to shower, shave, or eat with utensils. He also alleges harsh isolation typical of ADX Florence, where inmates are often confined alone for 23 hours a day with minimal human contact.
The defense states that García Luna was only given a change of underwear during his time at UPS Lee prison in Virginia and that due to poor nutrition, he has lost 14 pounds. They accuse the prison regime of isolation and extreme punishment without justification since García Luna's transfer from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
García Luna was found guilty of all charges in October 2024 and sentenced to 38 years and 4 months in prison plus a $2 million fine. He was arrested in 2019 in Texas and charged with five counts of drug trafficking and false statement in applying for U.S. citizenship.
Joaquín Guzmán Loera, also known as "El Chapo", is serving his life sentence in the same ADX Florence prison. Another high-profile prisoner, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., has been handed over to Mexico and is currently in a maximum security prison in Hermosillo, Sonora.
The prison’s conditions emphasize maximum security and isolation rather than rehabilitation or comfort, reflecting the severity of the crimes for which García Luna was convicted. However, the defense acknowledges that since his transfer to ADX Florence, García Luna's conditions have improved, but he still does not have access to relevant legal materials for his appeal.
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