Mexican Authorities Arrest Ovidio Guzmán in Sinaloa
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Mexican Authorities Arrest Ovidio Guzmán in Sinaloa

Photo by:   Mitchel Lensink, Unsplash
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Sofía Hanna By Sofía Hanna | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Thu, 01/05/2023 - 19:02

The Government of Mexico confirms the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Economic activities in the area are on hold as the operation unleashed shootings and blockades in various regions of Culiacan and surrounding towns. Airlines Volaris, Viva Aerobus and Aeroméxico reported that they canceled today’s flights to multiple cities in Sinaloa due to the acts of violence reported in the state. On his Twitter account, Ruben Rocha, Governor of Sinaloa, urged citizens to remain calm and let federal authorities complete their tasks.

The arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, nicknamed “El Ratón” (The Mouse), triggered high-risk actions in the area. Luis Cresencio Sandoval, Minister of National Defense (SEDENA), said that military personnel conducted ground reconnaissance that led to his arrest after six months of reconnaissance work in the area of influence of the Sinaloa cartel. Guzmán was arrested following a confrontation between armed forces and cartel members. His apprehension was followed by armed attacks in the state. “It is worth mentioning that this arrest represents a resounding blow to the top leadership of the Pacific Cartel, actions that endorse the loyal institutional commitment of the Army, the National Guard, the Attorney General’s Office and the State Public Security Secretariat,” Crescencio Sandoval said.

Following the announcement of his capture, the Culiacan International Airport, supermarket chains and schools, among other institutions, closed their offices. Crescencio Sandoval said that aggressions by members of “Los Menores” continue in Culiacan, leading the Mexican Army and the National Guard to continue to carry reconnaissance to reestablish order. A bullet hit a commercial aircraft in the rear part of the fuselage during takeoff, causing damage to its hydraulic system. The state capital airport informed through its social networks that for the safety of all passengers, it would close from 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., in addition to advising people to avoid going to the terminal.

Guzmán’s arrest comes four days before the visit of US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the North American Leaders Summit with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The US embassy in Mexico issued a level four travel alert for Culiacan and asked its citizens not to travel through the state.

The Mexican Confederation of Employers (COPARMEX) urged the government of López Obrador to reestablish peace in Culiacan. “We recognize the actions of federal, state and municipal authorities to achieve this important capture and we reiterate the demand of society and the business sector to return peace to Culiacan, Sinaloa and Mexico,” says COPARMEX.  Some experts have questioned the way in which Guzmán’s arrest was handled. “We are very concerned about the lack of clarity in the federal government’s security strategy. It seems to us that beyond the decisions they made that day, there were tactical errors and operational errors by the government that the coordination mechanisms between federal and local authorities were not sufficient and that the intelligence procedures that can be generated by the agencies that are dedicated to these types of activities were used very little,” said Alan Lopez, Researcher of the Security Program, México Evalúa, according to Forbes.

Photo by:   Mitchel Lensink, Unsplash

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