Mexican authorities have arrested Ovidio Guzmán, son of infamous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, sparking widespread violence simply days earlier than President Joe Biden‘s scheduled go to to the embattled Central American nation.
According to a press launch issued by the United States State Department on December 16, Ovidio is “a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel,” and was concerned in all the cartel’s actions, particularly the manufacturing of fentanyl.
News Of “El Chapo’s” Son’s Arrest Sparks Violence, Forcing Officials To Implement Shelter At Home
News of Ovidio’s arrest sparked violence throughout the town, forcing native officers to inform residents to shelter at residence amid clashes with cartel members in numerous elements of Culiacán.
According to AP News, cartel members arrange 19 roadblocks all through the town, together with one at Culiacan’s airport and out of doors the native military base, in addition to in any respect factors of entry to the town of Culiacan.
However the Air Force was nonetheless in a position to fly Ovidio to Mexico City regardless of their efforts.
Ovidio, nicknamed “the Mouse,” had been beforehand arrested by federal authorities in October 2019, however was launched on the orders of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to keep away from additional bloodshed.
Arrest Comes Just Days Before President Biden’s Scheduled Arrival In Mexico For Bilateral Talks
Meanwhile, Thursday’s high-profile seize comes simply days earlier than President López Obrador will host U.S. President Joe Biden for bilateral talks adopted by their North American Leaders’ Summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Drug trafficking, together with immigration, are anticipated to be high speaking factors, based on the Associated Press.
“This is a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel and major victory for the rule of law. It will not, however, impede the flow of drugs into the U.S. Hopefully, Mexico will extradite him to the U.S.,” Mike Vigil, the DEA’s former Chief of International Operations, mentioned Thursday.
The 12-hour standoff between safety forces and drug cartel militants in Culiacan, Mexico, over the arrest of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of the drug lord Shorty, is coming to an finish, 27 individuals (at the least 3 civilians) have been injured, a nationwide guardsman was killed. pic.twitter.com/gUXQhJlmZs
— Sophia Lambert (@DV16FDS5V) January 6, 2023
Vigil went on to say that Ovidio was concerned in all the cartel’s actions, particularly the manufacturing of fentanyl. A 2018 federal indictment filed in Washington, D.C., accused the youthful Guzmán of conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana within the United States, the Associated Press experiences.
The research by non-governmental group Causa en Comun counted 5,463 victims from 3,123 occasions in a complete of two,657 information articles via the primary half of 2022. That is an 18 p.c enhance in comparison with the identical time in 2021.
Arrest Of “El Chapo’s” Son Leads To Violent Cartel Response, Residents Urged To Remain Inside
Last July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentioned over 107,000 Americans died from a drug overdose through the 12 months ending January 2022, nearly all of which concerned opioids together with illegally-made fentanyl.
Early final 12 months, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations had posted a $5 million reward for data resulting in the arrest and/or conviction of Guzmán.
Meanwhile, cartel members responded to Ovidio’s arrest on Thursday by carjacking autos of Culiacan residents and setting them ablaze within the cartel stronghold., as native and state authorities warned residents to stay inside.
Gunfire continued effectively into Thursday afternoon in Culiacan whereas Mexican authorities clashed with cartel members.
Ovidio’s father, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is presently serving a life sentence within the U.S. after being discovered responsible in 2019 of drug trafficking and cash laundering.
Like his son, the elder Guzmán had escaped previous to formal sentencing in 2015 by way of a tunnel dug by associates into his jail cell. Mexican authorities finally recaptured him following a shoot-out in January 2016, and extradited him to the U.S. a 12 months later.