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Capture Of Chapo’s Son ‘Ovidio Guzman’ In Mexico Results In At Least 29 Deaths
(CTN NEWS) – MEXICO CITY – Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval reported on Friday that a wave of violence following the arrest of Mexican drug cartel leader Chapo’s Son Ovidio Guzman in the northern state of Sinaloa resulted in the deaths of 19 suspected gang members and 10 military personnel.
The minister said that the 32-year-old son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was apprehended by Mexican security authorities early on Thursday morning.
This led to hours of turmoil and shootouts with gang members.
According to Sandoval, Guzman was transported by helicopter from the residence, where he was apprehended and flown to Mexico City before being transferred to a maximum security federal jail.
Mexico’s Secretary of Defense Luis Cresencio Sandoval speaks during a news conference after Mexican drug cartel leader Ovidio Guzman, a son of incarcerated kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, was arrested by Mexican authorities in Culiacan, In Mexico City, Mexico January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero
The arrest sparked a rampage by the strong Sinaloa Cartel, once led by El Chapo himself, which resulted in the destruction of vehicles, roadblocks, and clashes with security personnel in and around Culiacan, the state’s capital.
In addition to the 21 others that were detained during operations on Thursday, Sandoval stated at a news conference that no reports of civilian fatalities had been made.
Ovidio’s father is currently in a maximum security prison in the United States after being extradited in 2017 and convicted in a New York court.
According to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, there are no urgent plans to deport Ovidio to the United States.
The president stated that “the elements (of the case) have to be presented and the judges in Mexico decide.” “It involves a procedure. Not simply the request, either.”
According to Lopez Obrador, no U.S. forces were involved in the taking of Ovidio.
According to Sandoval, an increased security presence will now be maintained in Sinaloa, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, to protect the populace. Additionally, 1,000 additional military personnel are currently en route to the area.
READ ALSO: Mexican Officials Arrest Son Of Infamous Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’
Mexican military personnel at a checkpoint outside the Almoloya prison where Ovidio Guzman, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is being held in Villa de Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
Shots rang out Thursday at the Culiacan airport as passengers on an Aeromexico passenger flight knelt down below their seats.
According to passenger David Tellez, “as we were speeding for takeoff, we heard gunshots extremely near to the jet, and that’s when we all threw ourselves to the floor.”
Aeromexico reported that although one of their aircraft was damaged by gunfire at Culiacan, no one was hurt.
After being shut down owing to the violence, the airport was scheduled to open again later on Friday.
An unsuccessful attempt to capture Ovidio in 2019 resulted in embarrassment for Lopez Obrador’s administration.
When security officers briefly imprisoned Ovidio at the time, cartel supporters retaliated violently, forcing officials to free him immediately to avoid retaliation from his henchmen.
Before next week’s conference of North American leaders in Mexico City, where US President Joe Biden will be present, his most recent capture has taken place, and security cooperation is scheduled to be discussed.
A Mexican National Guard stands guard outside the Almoloya prison where Ovidio Guzman, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is being held in Villa de Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
THE QUESTION OF EXTRADITION
For many years, the US has demanded Guzman’s extradition.
The State Department offered a $5 million prize in 2021 for information that would result in his capture and conviction.
Guzman, also known as “The Mouse,” has been accused in the US of conspiring to bring cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana into the country.
According to the State Department, he was in charge of methamphetamine production facilities in Sinaloa that produced “3,000 to 5,000 pounds” of the narcotic each month.
Mexican National Guard stands guard outside the Almoloya prison where Ovidio Guzman, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is being held in Villa de Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
According to the State Department, information also showed that he had ordered a number of murders, including the killing of a well-known Mexican singer who had declined to sing at his wedding.
Pressure to apprehend Guzman has increased due to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, entering the United States in unprecedented amounts and fueling a record number of overdose deaths.
The majority of fentanyl in the United States is attributed to the Sinaloa Cartel and one other gang by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
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