The Mexican authorities captured this Thursday Ovidio Guzmán, one of the sons of Joquín
El Chapo
Guzmán Loera, and one of the chiefs of the Sinaloa Cartel most wanted by the United States, as confirmed by federal government sources to the media.
In reaction to the arrest of
El ratón
, as the drug trafficking leader is nicknamed, groups of hitmen burned vehicles, blocked the main avenues of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa, and confronted the Mexican Armed Forces with firearms.
The governor of the state, Rubén Rocha Moya, asked the residents of the city not to leave their homes, after numerous shootings, vehicle thefts and shootings were reported.
“Different blockades are occurring in the city.
Now, the invitation to the public is that, if they don't have anything to go out to, don't go out," the Secretary of Public Security of Sinaloa, Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo, asked in an interview with the media.
[Mexico captures the brother of 'El Mencho', leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel]
A vehicle set on fire during a military operation in Culiacán, Sinaloa, on January 5, 2022. Milenio
Videos of burning vehicles that blocked the streets of Culiacán were shared on social networks.
The state authorities suspended all activities in the schools and administrative centers of the municipality of Culiacán for security reasons.
The Sinaloa Ministry of Public Education and Culture determined to fully suspend teaching and administrative activities in the municipality of Culiacán, the state capital, to safeguard the integrity of the students.
[Doubts continue about the whereabouts of drug trafficker 'La Barbie']
Photograph of a charred cargo vehicle in Culiacán, Sinaloa, after clashes between federal forces and armed groups on Thursday, January 5, 2022.Juan Carlos Cruz / EFE
Two Boeing 742 aircraft from the Mexican Air Force arrived in Culiacán around 10:00 am Central Time this Thursday with reinforcements to support security forces after violent clashes.
Authorities suspended all commercial flights at the local airport as a precaution.
Among the versions that have circulated this Thursday in the local media is that the violence was a reaction by criminal groups to the capture of a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, although his identity was not disclosed.
Asked about the issue during his morning press conference, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador asked reporters to wait.
"Wait," he said.
“We still do not know how the events are in Sinaloa, there is an operation that began at dawn and we will inform you about it later.
That is reported later so that the precise information is available, we do not get ahead of ourselves, ”he added later.
They detain an alleged operator of the Sinaloa Cartel in full baptism in Culiacán
Feb 21, 202200:29
The violent events evoke the failed October 2019 operation in which Mexican federal authorities first managed to capture Ovidio Guzmán, son of
El Chapo
, Guzmán, and then released him after a series of violent confrontations and the threat to assassinate innocent civilians and family members of members of the Army.
In total, 14 people died during the so-called
culiacanazo
, including four civilians, two soldiers, and eight hit men.
With information from AP and EFE.