Arrest of son of “El Chapo” wanted by the US sparks violence in Mexico

Ovidio Guzmán, one of the most wanted sons of the mega-trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in the United States, was captured this Thursday (5) during a police operation marked by gun battles in Culiacán, in northern Mexico.

The arrest of Guzmán, one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, took place four days before the arrival of US President Joe Biden in Mexico for the Summit of Leaders of North America.

The violence triggered by the arrest sparked fears among residents of the area over memories of the “culiacanazo,” a police operation in which federal forces arrested Ovidio on October 17, 2019, but released him hours later because of violent acts by the Sinaloa Cartel.

Guzmán’s arrest led to roadblocks on different roads in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state, as well as clashes in different parts of the city, vehicles set on fire and reports of civilians being pulled out of their cars at around 4:30 am (local time), which paralyzed the city.

After the events, Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo, Sinaloa’s Secretary of Public Security, asked the population to stay in their homes for security reasons.

In addition, the state’s Ministry of Public Education has suspended school activities, as has the government of Sinaloa, which has asked its employees to stay at home in the face of violence. The US Embassy in Mexico has alerted US citizens to events in Sinaloa and urged them to avoid going to that region.

With information from EFE/Gazeta do Povo

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