World Chaos in Mexico as El Chapo's son, a leader of the Sinaloa cartel, is reportedly captured

MEXICO CITY — Gun battles erupted across the northern Mexican city of Culiacan on Thursday amid reports that the federal government had captured Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel and the son of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Mexico's President sticks to his strategy to combat drug violence and deaths

In the past week in Mexico, 14 police officers and as many civilians were killed in separate incidents. This has been a horrific week for Mexico.

The wave of violence suggests if El Chapo had a plan for succession, it has fallen into chaos , turning Sinaloa into one of Mexico ’ s most violent states.

MEXICO CITY — Heavy gunfire on Thursday rocked several neighborhoods in the Mexican city of Culiacán, home to Joaquín " El Chapo " Guzmán' s Sinaloa cartel , after security forces were reported to have detained a son of the notorious kingpin. The Mexican networks Televisa and Milenio both said

Videos taken by journalists and civilians showed men in masks firing high-powered weapons on major city streets and a truck circulating with what appeared to be a large machine gun bolted to the back.

Warnings spread on social media urging people to stay indoors. The online news site Riodoce reported that gunmen had blocked entrances to the city with burning vehicles.

Televisa news anchor Denise Maerker said authorities confirmed to her that the 28-year-old Guzman had been detained at 3:30 p.m. by members of the army and Mexico’s newly formed national guard.

State and federal authorities told the Los Angeles Times they could not verify that information.

Guzman sought to take control of the Sinaloa cartel along with his older brother, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, after their father was captured and extradited to the United States in 2017. This year, their father was sentenced to life in prison on drug trafficking and conspiracy charges.

At least 8 killed in mayhem surrounding Mexico's failed effort to capture El Chapo's son

An operation to capture one of Mexico's most powerful drug lords failed disastrously Thursday as several Mexican security forces were held hostage by heavily armed cartel fighters who laid siege to the northern Mexican city of Culiacan. Authorities had sought to detain Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel and the son of notorious drug boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. But after briefly capturing their target, security forces ultimately retreated without him, a move Mexico’s leaders defended as necessary to save lives.

Shocking allegations in ' El Chapo ' trial. Guzmán is a former head of the Sinaloa cartel , which officials say was the biggest supplier of drugs to the US. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he would make a statement later on Thursday. What was El Chapo ' s role in Mexico ' s drug trade?

Officials say Dámaso López, long considered El Chapo ’ s right-hand man, has been locked in a dispute for control of the gang. Guzmán became godfather to López’ s son , Dámaso López Serrano, nicknamed “ El Mini-Licenciado” and the supposed leader of a Sinaloa cartel hit team known as Los

But the Guzman sons, known here as “Los Chapitos,” have faced competition from Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a co-founder of the cartel who has reportedly sought to oust them.

The Sinaloa cartel, long the most powerful in Mexico, has also faced challenges from the emergent Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is suspected in the ambush and killing of 14 police officers in the state of Michoacan on Monday.

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