He pledged to bring all those involved in the scandal to justice.
“Now is not the time to resign,” Osorio Chong said at a news conference. He has come under fire for letting the world’s most-wanted drug baron to escape under his watch.
Chong is coordinating government efforts to recapture Guzman, who escaped from a maximum security federal prison Saturday night.
The drug lord escaped through a tunnel leading from his cell to a construction site more than a kilometer away.
Chong said that already, the heads of two prison administrative agencies have been sacked, accordingly.
He, nevertheless, said all proper prison protocols and international standards were followed at the Altiplano prison in central Mexico State from where Guzman escaped.
Guzman was able to take advantage of two “blind spots” in the 24-hour surveillance system designed to guarantee prisoners’ rights, the minister said, adding video footage of Guzman’s cell would be released.
The government is offering 60 million pesos, approximately 3.81 million dollars for information leading to Guzman’s re-arrest.
On Monday Chong met with National Security Commissioner, Alejandro Rubido, led a work meeting with national Attorney General Arely Gomez, and met with governors of various states in moves to coordinate the government’s efforts to recapture Guzman.
So far, the authorities have questioned 34 prison officials and 17 inmates in relation to Guzman’s second escape from a maximum security facility in 14 years.