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(CNN Spanish) - Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Saturday that the president of the United States contacted him to express his solidarity with what happened this week in Culiacán, Sinaloa.
"I thank you for respecting our sovereignty and your willingness to maintain a good neighborhood policy, based on cooperation for the development and welfare of our peoples," AMLO tweeted this Saturday.
- Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, a legacy of death and illegality
I received a call from President Trump expressing his solidarity for the events of Culiacán. I thank you for respecting our sovereignty and your willingness to maintain a good neighborhood policy, based on cooperation for the development and welfare of our peoples. pic.twitter.com/XAtMrC4nhF
- Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) October 19, 2019
Neither the White House nor President Donald Trump have spoken so far about this conversation.
On Thursday, the Mexican security cabinet made the decision to free Ovidio Guzmán, son of Mexican drug trafficker Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, after a prolonged confrontation between the public force and allegedly armed members of the Sinaloa cartel. In the operation Guzmán, 28, was captured and then released.
"I supported that position because I believe that the most important thing is the protection of people," AMLO said Friday about Guzman's release.
The shooting forced many residents to flee in panic, others remained locked in their homes while outside, soldiers engaged in intense shootings throughout the day.
- Shooting in Culiacán: Ovid Guzmán was released and AMLO justified the decision
AMLO received strong criticism for the failure of the operation and its decision to release Guzmán López. But the president said he cannot be worth more the capture of a criminal than the lives of people.
Luis Cresencio, secretary of National Defense, said that the violence unleashed on Thursday in Culiacán was the result of the "desire of the Municipal Police to obtain positive results" to achieve the apprehension of Ovidio Guzmán López.
Cresencio said the actions of the municipal police were "poorly planned." The secretary of National Defense said that the police omitted the consensus of senior officers "dismissing the power of convocation and response of the criminal organization."
The secretary explained that the police were assaulted while waiting for a search warrant to enter the house where Guzmán López was.
Cresencio also explained that during the clashes, 9 agents were held by the criminal group and subsequently released when the government decided to suspend their operations.
Andrés Manuel López ObradorChapo Guzmán