Mexican politician Andrés Manuel López Obrador: 'If they can capture El Chapo, why can't they find 43 dead students'

Andrés Manuel López Obrador compares 2014 disappearance of 43 male students at Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College who were driving to a protest when they were arrested by police then handed over to a drug cartel

Relatives hold pictures of some of the 43 missing students during 48-hour hunger strike

The Mexican government has been attacked for celebrating the capture of Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' - having failed to find the bodies of 43 students who were kidnapped en masse 16 months ago.

Mexican presidential candidate in 2012 and former head of Mexico City, Andrés Manuel López Obrador said: “They can detain El Chapo, but they are not capable, they are useless, when it comes to finding 43 missing Ayotzinapa students.

“They are making a big deal out of nothing, a lot of publicity, but when are they going to detain and punish the criminal gang that commits more robberies in the country?”

The Mexican drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman is escorted by soldiers and marines after his capture (AP)

On September 26 in 2014, 43 male students at Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College driving to a protest were arrested by police then handed over to a drug cartel. Only the body remains of two students have since been identified.

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was captured by police in northwest Mexico after five months on the run. He has been returned to the federal prison he escaped from last July.

Reported by Telesur, Mr Obrador levelled corruption accusations at Mexican President Peña Nieto: “Which is the cartel the steals the most? The Los Pinos [The Presidential offices and residence] cartel which is lead by Peña Nieto.

“What is really important is that the Los Pinos cartel stop robbing. Each year corrupt politicians steal over 500 billion pesos [£19.2 billion] and only those who don't have money to buy their innocence or who no longer serves purpose are persecuted an punished.“