Army humiliated as attempt to arrest drug lord’s son ends amid bloodshed
A SON of former drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman escaped arrest after furious cartel gunmen turned city streets into a warzone.
Weapons were fired and vehicles burned amid a shootout that paralysed Culiacan in Mexico.
Eight people were killed BY ANDRES VILLARREAL reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk and 21 wounded and police ended up leaving without Ovidio Guzman Lopez, whose father was found guilty in New York of 10 charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, in July.
Security minister Alfonso Durazo said 30 members of the national guard and army were patrolling when they were fired on from a house on Thursday.
They fought back and found Guzman Lopez inside but heavily armed gunmen took to the streets and violence broke out across Culiacan.
Armed civilians in trucks drove through the city centre shooting sniper rifles and machine guns. Videos showed a
scene resembling a war zone, with gunmen, some wearing black ski masks, riding in the back of trucks firing mounted machine guns as vehicles burned.
People could be seen running for cover as machine gun fire rattled around them and some drivers were forced to reverse down streets to get away from the clashes.
Residents were asked to avoid going out in parts of the city, and football club Dorados cancelled a game.
Authorities suspended their operation “with the goal of safeguarding the well-being and tranquillity of Culiacan society”, Durazo said.
A civilian, a member of the national guard, five attackers and a prisoner were among those killed.
Officials said that 27 inmates escaped from a jail.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he backed the decisions of his security officials, adding: “The capture of one criminal cannot be worth more than the lives of people.”
Lopez Obrador added: “This decision was made to protect citizens. You cannot fight fire with fire.
“We do not want deaths. We do not want war.”
Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, a lawyer for El Chapo’s family, said, “Ovidio is alive and free”, but gave no more details.
Ovidio was not as well known as his brothers Ivan and Jesus.
Dubbed “los Chapitos”, they are believed to be among those running their father’s Sinaloa cartel.
Ovidio was indicted in 2018 by a grand jury in Washington, along with a fourth brother, for the alleged trafficking of drugs including cocaine.