Authorities reportedly detained Ovidio Guzmán, the son of drug lord Joaqun “El Chapo” Guzmán and one of the leaders of Los Chapitos, a group of the Sinaloa Cartel run by El Chapo’s sons, in the Mexican city of Culiacán on Thursday.
Los Chapitos members sought vengeance for the arrest, blocking highways, robbing drivers of their cars and smartphones, and firing at random.
Sinaloa’s three airports were closed, and several roadways were blocked by burning automobiles and trucks.
The security forces sought to manage the violent reaction to the arrest in Culiacan by patrolling in pickup trucks with highly armed squads.
Authorities asked residents to remain home, and schools and administrative offices were shuttered as a result of the violence. There were also street blockades in place.
It is unclear if Ovidio will be extradited to the United States, where his father is serving a life term in Colorado’s Supermax, the most guarded federal prison in the United States.
The sights were reminiscent of the city’s unrest in 2019, when Ovidio Guzmán was apprehended for the first time.
Los Chapitos were able to force the evacuation of the Mexican army, who had arrested Guzmán in his residence in Culiacán’s center. Guzmán’s minions caused similar havoc, including roadblocks, burned-out automobiles, and shootouts in the city until the military released the criminal leader.
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