Last Updated on January 9, 2023
Firefights, road blockades, and kidnappings haven broken out due to Operation Lightning, a military op. conducted by the Mexican Government’s military, marines, and special forces early Thursday morning to capture Ovidio Guzmán-López, 32, one of El Chapo’s sons and a high-ranking commander in the Sinaloa-based Chapitos cartel.
A Mexican military Blackhawk firing a minigun in La Higuera, Mexico, north of Culiacán, in the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López.#OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/gzEkLH9szS
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
Road blockades and firefights were officially reported in both Culiacan and Los Mochis, however, violent unrest was reported in Juarez as well, just south of the U.S./Mexico border.
Sicarios and cartel-members loyal to The Chapitos set up road blocks in the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, son of El Chapo. #OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/ABfELvyZ8o
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
Images were shared around the world of the violent military conflict. A video of a Mexican military helicopter firing a M134 minigun from a Black Hawk helicopter at a cartel convoy below was one such video.
A Mexican military helicopter firing a minigun at a drug cartel convoy below in the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, a son of El Chapo and commander in Los Chapitos cartel. #OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/RHBYezrbPz
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
A member of local media in Mexico was able to capture a photo of Ovidio in the midst of his in-custody transport.
A snapshot of Ovidio Guzmán López in the process of being transported after his arrest on Thursday. #OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs pic.twitter.com/71ZQPQXJAk
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
Images from the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López in Jesús María, Sinaloa, Mexico. #OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/BAcpLfnvC4
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
Six T6C Texan II aircraft from Air Squadron 402 and six Black Hawk helicopters took part in the recapture of Ovidio in Operation Lightning.
The Mexican Air Force deployed a fighter jet over Culiacán in the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, a son of El Chapo and commander in Los Chapitos cartel. #OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/SvWGV0Yt54
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
One video surfaced which showed Mexican armed forces ambush cartel members in a village.
Mexican military servicemembers ambush cartel-members in the aftermath of the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López.#OvidioGuzman #OvidioGuzmán #Mexico #cartels #AMLO #MexicanDrugWar #WarOnDrugs #Chapo pic.twitter.com/p36c7U6O92
— Addy Adds (@OneAddyAdds) January 8, 2023
Mexico-based investigative reporter, OG Shadow, aka La Sombra, shared the fact that street rumors in Sinaloa assert the possiblity that Ovidio was betrayed by one of his own brothers in a power grab.
“They did not mobilize like they did last time. It’s bad, and they’re extremely aggressive and they did [react violently] you know, they did damage, but they could have done a lot more to get him out,” Shadow said.
Shadow, a former drug cartel member himself who was able to escape the criminal underworld, explained how everyone is dispensable in the drug trafficking business.
“Ovidio, as far as his role in the organization, it’s not like if they take Ovidio the Chapitos are going to collapse or anything like that. Not even the case. We have to remember that Ivan is the head of the organization at the end of the day, but even if they got Ivan, they’re still going to keep working,” Shadow said. “These organizations always have someone ready to take your place. Everyone is disposable, and there’s also lots of rumors saying that Ivan and the other Chapitos could have mobilized better.”
“They did mobilize and they did attack. Let’s not get this confused, but, if you look at what happened last time, it’s almost not even comparable. All this simultaneously, while this is going on here in Culiacan, you have police running for the American Border in Juarez because they have a bounty on their head because of El Neto, who they just killed.”
“It could be from what people are saying; that Ivan wants complete control over the faction, the Chapitos. And Ovidio has been gaining lots of power recently and his faction has been gaining strength and what’s going to happen is everybody who’s loyal to him and his faction is basically going to get swallowed up by Ivan,” Shadow explained.
“Now that Ovidio is not there they’re going to move and he’s going to be in more complete control and we have to also remember even though Ivan is the boss he was not originally designed to be the boss. Chapo’s son, Edgar, [who] was supposed to take this position was killed on accident when Chapo sent forces to kill [an enemy], and they confused [him] for Chapo’s son,” Shadow relayed.
“Tragedy, that’s what happens in this life. It’s all tragedy, death and prison. Nothing good ever comes out of it. Ever,” he added.
