El Chapo Guzman: Sean Penn defends Rolling Stone interview

The US actor said he has nothing to hide

US actor Sean Penn says he has no regrets regarding his secret Rolling Stone magazine interview with Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

The Associated Press news agency asked Mr Penn if he was worried about images that claimed to show Mexican officials watching him before the visit.

"I've got nothin' to hide," he wrote back in an email.

Guzman was captured on Friday, three months after their meeting and six months after escaping from prison.

Mr Penn did not answer questions about whether he should have let Guzman read his story in advance of publication, or whether he did enough to protect his source.

The actor was criticised for the interview - a White House spokesman said Guzman's boasts about his exploits were "maddening", while Republican Marco Rubio said the interview was "grotesque".

El Chapo's capture - in depth

Mexican newspapers lead with the story of Mr Penn and Guzman

Who is 'El Chapo' Guzman? - The crime lord had humble beginnings.

Did Sean Penn break the law? - Unusual interview raises questions in the US and Mexico

Penn's 'El Chapo' interview scorned - It has been called "grotesque" and "maddening".

El Chapo extradition 'could take year' - American officials want Joaquin Guzman back in the US.

Who is Kate del Castillo? - Actress was instrumental in arranging the interview.

The US has filed a request for Guzman to be extradited to face charges of smuggling vast amounts of drugs into the country.

On Monday, Mexican officials said the process to extradite him to the US could take at least a year.

The interview was conducted in the Mexican jungle, and unnamed Mexican officials have said the meeting helped them catch the 58-year-old boss of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Guzman has been returned to the maximum-security Altipano jail.

Five people were shot dead in the operation to capture Guzman

In July, he had escaped from there via a tunnel dug to the shower in his cell.

In the Rolling Stone article, Guzman said he was the world's leading supplier of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.

The Mexican authorities have not said whether they would investigate Penn and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo who arranged the interview.