Fierce gun battles as El Chapo's son arrested in Mexico

[Judi Lynn]

18 OCT 2019



AFP / STR
Trucks burn in Culiacan, capital of Mexican druglord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's home state of Sinaloa, after the
arrest of his son triggered gunbattles


Mexican security forces on Thursday arrested one son of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in an operation that triggered intense fighting.

Heavy gunfire rocked Culiacan, a city of 750,000 people, in sustained clashes that left blazing vehicles strewn across the street and sent terrified residents running for cover.

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo confirmed the arrest of a man identifying himself as Ovidio Guzman, one of the sons who assumed partial control of the notorious cartel run by their father until he was extradited to the United States in 2017.

Images carried on Mexican television showed army and police personnel under assault by men armed with heavy weapons.

More:
https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/fierce-gun-battles-el-chapos-son-arrested-mexico-doc-1li6il4

[VarryOn]

1. I've read in a couple places now the Mexican authorities may have let him go...

To stop his people from terrorising and harming citizens. Hopefully, it's not true.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Good grief! I have heard the cartels are incredibly powerful. Shocking, for sure. Thanks. n/t

[Eugene]

3. Cartel gunmen terrorize Mexican city, free El Chapo's son

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS OCTOBER 17, 2019 / 8:03 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

Cartel gunmen terrorize Mexican city, free El Chapo's son

Dave Graham, Lizbeth Diaz
5 MIN READ

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Heavily armed fighters surrounded security forces in a Mexican city on Thursday and made them free one of drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s sons, after his capture triggered gunbattles and a prison break that sent civilians scurrying for cover.

Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said a patrol by National Guard militarized police first came under attack from within a house in the city of Culiacan, 1,235 km (770 miles) northwest of Mexico City.

After entering the house, they found four men, including Ovidio Guzman, who is accused of drug trafficking in the United States.

The patrol was quickly outmatched by cartel gunmen, however, and it was withdrawn to prevent lives being lost, the government said. Simultaneously, fighters swarmed through the city, battling police and soldiers in broad daylight. They torched vehicles and left at least one gas station ablaze.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-violence-sinaloa/cartel-gunmen-terrorize-mexican-city-free-el-chapos-son-idUSKBN1WW34M

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. El Chapo: Mexican president says police 'did right' to free drug lord's son

When Ovidio Guzmán López was seized at a house on a judge's warrant in the city of Culiacán, cartel gunmen fought street battles with security forces.

At least eight people were reportedly killed and 21 wounded, with vehicles left burning in the streets.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the decision to cancel the arrest had saved lives.

Senior security officials had decided on his release, the president said at a news conference. "The officials who took this decision did well," he said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-50101739