Why the arrest of El Chapo's son caused a rampage of violence in a Mexican city
CBC
The arrest of Ovidio Guzman, the son of jailed drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, has sparked a rampage of violence in the northwestern Mexican city of Culiacan, led by members of his Sinaloa drug cartel.
Gunfire has erupted, vehicles have been torched and roads blocked while cartel members clash with security forces. So far, at least 10 military personnel and 19 suspected members of the Sinaloa drug cartel have been killed.
The violence has prompted government authorities to warn residents to stay indoors. The Culiacan and Mazatlan airports have been closed and all flights had been suspended at the Los Mochis airport until further notice, according to Canada's Global Affairs. The Canadian government is urging Canadians in Mexico's Sinaloa state to limit their movements and to shelter in place.
CBC News explains what's causing the violence, and how it's impacting Canadians travelling in the area.
The violence is centred in northwestern Mexico, in the state of Sinaloa — specifically the state capital of Culiacan. This is about 1,200 kilometres northwest of Mexico City, and the home base of the Sinaloa cartel.
Canadians vacationing in resorts in that area say they've been sheltering inside their hotels until the violence subsides.
On Thursday afternoon, Global Affairs Canada warned Canadians in Sinaloa to take extra care, especially in the cities of Culiacan, Mazatlan, Los Mochis and Guasave, and told Canadians to avoid non-essential travel in those areas.
WATCH | How Canadians are managing the violence in Mexico:
Patrick Hayden, a Canadian who is vacationing in Mazatlan, told CBC News that he was bit concerned — mostly because of reports of trouble at the nearby airport, where he had been scheduled to fly out on Friday.
"Also, where I'm staying is a very popular tourist destination and could be that we might be a target, but that doesn't look like that right now," he said.
"Today there is a lot of frustration and concern," about being able to leave, he said. "But at this point we mostly recognize that it's really out of our hands, so we're just going to have to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best."
Guzman, 32, who goes by the nickname "The Mouse," is the oldest son of El Chapo — Mexico's most notorious drug lord. Guzman and his brothers emerged as leaders of one of the four factions in the cartel following their father's arrest.
Juan Carlos Ayala, a Culiacan resident and Sinaloa University professor who studies the sociology of drug trafficking, told the Associated Press that Guzman was an obvious target since at least 2019.
"Ovidio's fate had been decided. Moreover, he was identified as the biggest trafficker of fentanyl and the most visible Chapos leader."
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