3 Dead As Riots Break Out In Mexican State Over Arrest Of El-Chapo's Son

Deadly riots broke out in the Mexican state of Sinaloa after the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán-López, son of the former Sinaloa drug Cartel leader and jailed Kingpin Joaquin 'El-Chapo'.

A burning car is seen on the street during an operation to arrest the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Ovidio Guzman, in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico, on January 5, 2023.

Source : AFP

The arrest of Ovidio Guzmán-López, son of the former Sinaloa drug Cartel leader and jailed Kingpin Joaquin 'El-Chapo' has sparked a wave of violence in the state of Sinaloa. Three members of the security forces lost their lives in the clashes. This comes a week ahead of the visit of US President Joe Biden.

Guzmán-López, nicknamed “The-Mouse” was captured on the allegations of leading a coterie of his father’s notorious Sinaloa cartel, one of the largest drug trafficking organisations in the world, BBC reported. 

READ | Taliban Signs First Agreement Since Takeover With Chinese Firm To Drill Oil In Afghanistan

Following the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán-López, who is alleged to be a leader of his father's former cartel, his gang members went on a rampage. They set up roadblocks, set vehicles ablaze, and attacked a local airport, the BBC reported. Two planes were hit by gunfire — one while preparing to take off, the report said.
 
The plane's fuselage was hit which was scheduled to fly from Culicán to Mexico City on Thursday. No customers or passengers were harmed, Mexican airline Aeromexico said. Mexico’s Civil Aviation Agency revealed an attack on the air force plane in Culicán.

Intermittent gunfire continued with clashes erupting between the Mexican security forces and the cartel gunmen. More than 100 flights at the Sinaloa airport were cancelled, followed by the burning of an estimated 250 vehicles, looting of shops, and shutting of schools in the city of Cuilicán, reports BBC and Reuters. 

According to Reuters, State governor Ruben Rocha revealed that the violence broke out in the city of Culiacan in the northern Sinaloa state killing seven members of the security forces including a colonel, while eight civilians amongst the others were injured. 

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, found guilty in 2019 on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, is serving a life sentence in the US. After his trial revealed brutal details on the inside operations of Mexico's drug cartel, the US announced $5m for information which led to Guzmán-López's arrest, reported BBC.