The common-law wife of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman says his health problems are "a lot worse" because guards at a maximum-security prison rouse him for head counts, interfering with his sleep.
Emma Coronel is the mother of Guzman's twin daughters. She has told the Radio Formula station Guzman is having problems with nervousness and anxiety because he is not sleeping at the Altiplano prison west of Mexico City.
Authorities have been waking Guzman every few hours for head counts. He embarrassed authorities by escaping the prison last July. He was recaptured in January.
Coronel said she thought authorities were trying to kill Guzman.
National security commissioner Renato Sales, whose responsibilities include overseeing federal prisons, said at a news conference on Monday Guzman's human rights were in no way being violated.
Sales pointed out Guzman had escaped twice from Mexican prisons.
"Shouldn't someone who twice escaped from maximum-security prisons be subject to special security measures? The common sense answer is yes," Sales said.
Coronel quoted Guzman as saying he is not allowed to exercise in open air, but does not care and only wants to be allowed to sleep.
