In a massive development, Mexican forces on Thursday arrested Ovidio Guzmán, son of drug cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. As per Mexican media reports, El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzmán was also an alleged drug trafficker and he was wanted by the United States and many other countries. Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Army and National Guard personnel had captured a son of “El Chapo.” Sandoval identified him only as Ovidio, in keeping with government policy. Now, massive gun violence has erupted in Mexico after the arrest of one of the sons of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in a pre-dawn operation on Thursday. With El Chapo's son's arrest, people around the wondering who is Ovidio Guzmán or asking who is El Chapo's son?
Who is El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzmán?
As per Mexican media reports, Ovidio Guzmán, nicknamed “the Mouse,” had not been one of El Chapo's better-known sons until an aborted operation to capture him three years ago. That attempt similarly set off violence in Culiacan that ultimately led President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to order the military to let him go. El Chapo's son's arrest comes just a day before Mexican President López Obrador is all set to host US President Joe Biden for bilateral talks followed by their North American Leaders' Summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Interestingly, drug trafficking, along with immigration are expected to be key agendas of the meeting.
As per Mexican media reports, Ovidio Guzmán López is multiple infamous named i.e. "El Ratón" or "El Nuevo Ratón" ("The Mouse" or "The New Mouse"). He is a Mexican drug lord and high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a criminal group based in the state of Sinaloa. He is the son of infamous drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, once considered Mexico's most-wanted drug lord and the world's most-wanted criminal. Guzmán López was suspected of being the leader of a Sinaloa Cartel faction often referred to as Los Chapitos, Los Menores. He was captured on 5 January 2023.
On 17 October 2019, members of the National Guard of Mexico briefly arrested Ovidio Guzmán López in Culiacán, Sinaloa, setting off several gun battles in the city. Heavily armed cartel gunmen (numbering over 700) threatened mass civilian deaths, including an attack on the apartment complex housing the relatives of the local military personnel. Hours later, Ovidio Guzmán was released and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that he supported the decision in order to "prevent more bloodshed". Ironically, the next month, one of the officers who arrested Ovidio, identified as Eduardo N., was assassinated.