At least 29 people died on Thursday in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa after the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán, one of the most wanted sons in the United States of “Chapo” Guzmán, as revealed by the government this Friday. -Friday (6).
Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said that of the 29 dead, 10 belonged to the Mexican Armed Forces and 19 to the criminal groups that caused the violent disturbances.
“Ten soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty to ensure security. The Mexican State will give them funeral honors,” he said at the daily press conference of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
As for the number of wounded, the head of the Army accounted for 35 soldiers wounded by firearms, in addition to damage to several land and air vehicles of the Armed Forces. 21 members of organized crime were also arrested, explained Sandoval.
In the operation during and after the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán in the early hours of Thursday, 3,586 members of the Armed Forces participated, who also fought the violence unleashed in the streets of cities such as Culiacán (capital of Sinaloa), Los Mochis and Mazatlán.
López Obrador emphasized that the government acted “responsibly” to “take care of the civilian population, so that there are no innocent victims.”
In addition, he added that the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha, reported that the situation in the region is returning to normal, after suffering a day of blockades, shooting attacks and burning cars.
“There are no armed groups in Sinaloa, in blockades, which since yesterday are already removing all the cars that were set on fire and used to block the streets, practically throughout the city. [de Culiacán]”, he explained.
The events in Sinaloa aroused fear among citizens because they are reminiscent of the so-called “culiacanazo”, an operation in which federal forces arrested Ovidio on October 17, 2019, but released him hours later due to violent acts by the Sinaloa Cartel.
Ovidio Guzmán was transferred on Thursday night to the Federal Center for Social Rehabilitation (Cefereso) number 1 Altiplano – also known as Almoloya prison -, located in the state of Mexico, where his father was being held and from which he escaped in 2015.
All this happens days before the visit of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, on the occasion of the Summit of Leaders of North America.
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