Before Biden’s visit next week: This morning (Friday) the Sinaloa cartel issued an ultimatum to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador – following the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, the son of the known drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán and the current leader of the cartel. According to the reports, the cartel informed the president that if Guzman is not released within 72 hours “we will start burning gas stations, and damage civilian, military and government facilities”.The publicized arrest sparked a wave of severe violence in the country, but mainly in the city of Culiacan in the northern state of Sinaloa. According to the words of the governor in the region, seven members of the security forces were killed, including a senior officer with the rank of colonel, 21 were injured – including 8 civilians.
So my Culichi‼️ after the #Culiacanazo #viral #popular #culiacan #sinaloa #mexico #trend #ovidio #jgl #shooting #narcoblockades #narco #champitv pic.twitter.com/UlBCxB1rOk
— Champi Tv (@ChampiTv_) January 6, 2023
#ULTIMAHORA Users of social networks share video at dawn today of the arrival of Tanks from the Secretary of National Defense entering Culiacán Sinaloa on the occasion of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán. #RubrikNews pic.twitter.com/5t43kvR11a
— Daniel ❄️☃️ (@Danielrubrick) January 5, 2023
It’s not Iraq or Russia, it’s Culiacan
Terrible violence experienced by the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, son of “El Chapo” Guzmán pic.twitter.com/VQ3mS9SUkb
— ❤️Tio Guason (@TioGuasonRenace) January 5, 2023
Alongside this, dozens of cases of looting took place and even more than 250 vehicles were set on fire. “All entrances to the city have been blocked,” said a resident of the area who added that schools, local authorities and many private businesses were closed: “There is an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension.”
The arrest of the 32-year-old Guzman, who for years was considered a key target of the country’s security forces and even had a $5 million US dollar reward on his head, came at a sensitive time – just a week before US President Joe Biden’s visit to the country.
The arrest, according to estimates, was made following the flooding of the American market with a type of drug Synthetic fentanyl – which led to a record number of overdose deaths in the US.