Donald Trump seems to believe the escape of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, one of Mexico's most powerful drug lords, gives credence to his assessment that the neighboring country brings "killers" and "rapists" to the United States.

"Unbelievable corruption and USA is paying the price. I told you so," the TV personality-turned-Republican presidential hopeful tweeted. "When will people, and the media, start to apologize to me for my statement ... which turned out to be true? We get the killers, drugs & crime, they get the money!"

Guzmán, the head of the feared Sinaloa Cartel, escaped over the weekend by slipping into a tunnel that stretched from the prison where he was being held to a half-built house nearly a mile away, CNN reported. His escape marked the second time he has been able to flee a maximum-security facility. In 2001, he had done so in a laundry cart and had not been re-apprehended until his 2014 arrest at a local beach resort.

Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto called the incident an "affront to the Mexican state" and vowed a massive manhunt to find the cartel leader. He noted he was "deeply troubled" by "a very unfortunate event that has outraged Mexican society."

Trump, for his part, let his imagination go free when he retold an imaginary "negotiation" with the 60-year-old drug lord.

"Can you envision Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton negotiating with 'El Chapo,' the Mexican drug lord who escaped from prison?" the former "Apprentice" star said. "Trump, however, would kick his *ss!"

Despite the fact Guzmán is wanted by the U.S. government -- which at one point had put out a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture and has offered to assist Mexico in efforts to re-arrest him -- Trump suggested the drug lord will somehow be eligible for naturalization.

"The U.S. will invite El Chapo, the Mexican drug lord who just escaped prison, to become a U.S. citizen because our 'leaders' can't say no," he tweeted.