Cartel Leader El Chapo Gets Life in Federal Prison

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Mexican cocaine kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán was sentenced to die inside an American penitentiary during a Wednesday hearing where the murderous drug lord bizarrely painted himself as the victim.

The cartel boss, in a rambling 15-minute Brooklyn Federal Courthouse speech before his mandated life sentence was imposed, claimed that he was railroaded at the 11-week trial that ended with his multiple convictions.

“Since the government will send me to a jail where my name will not ever be heard again, I take this opportunity to say there was no justice,” said Guzmán, speaking through a translator. “You denied me a fair trial while the whole world was watching ... What happened here is very clear, that the United States is no better than any corrupt country that you don’t respect."

The full sentence was life plus 30 years, insuring the once high-flying Guzmán — who twice escaped from Mexican prisons — will spend the rest of his days behind bars, the New York Daily News reports.

“Why did we go to trial?” Guzmán asked rhetorically. “Why didn’t you sentence me on day one?”

Sentencing judge Brian Cogan provided the answer in handing down the maximum sentence, citing the “mountain” of evidence presented against Guzman.