The son of drug lord Joaquin Guzman, alias “El Chapo”, has been arrested during a military operation in northwestern Mexico.
“El Chapo” has been imprisoned in the United States since 2019 following being sentenced to life in prison. Ovidio Guzman and his brothers have since taken over part of the Sinaloa drug cartel. He is considered in Mexico as one of the main drug traffickers fatanyl.
He was first arrested in 2019, but was later released on the orders of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to allegedly prevent serious fighting between criminals and security forces.
After Thursday’s crackdown, violent clashes erupted in Culiacán between suspected gang members and law enforcement. Suspects blocked buses and trucks across the roads and set fire to the vehicles. Schools and public buildings have been closed. Governor Rubén Rocha Moya called on citizens to stay at home.
“El Chapo” was one of the most powerful drug traffickers in the world. The former head of the Sinaloa Cartel smuggled tons of cocaine and heroin into the United States and made billions from it. He would also have been responsible for nearly 3,000 murders. He has twice escaped from high security prisons in Mexico. After his last arrest, he was extradited to the United States where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
