Gang wars Violence erupts in Mexico after US arrest of drug lord "El Mayo"
In July, the USA unexpectedly arrests a powerful Mexican drug lord. He is said to have been lured into an ambush by the son of an ex-partner. Gang wars break out after the betrayal.
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- Following the kidnapping of a drug lord in Mexico and his subsequent arrest in the USA, gang wars are on the rise in north-western Mexico.
- In Sinaloa, two opposing factions of the Sinaloa cartel, led by Zambada's heirs and "El Chapo's" sons, are engaged in fierce gang warfare.
- Since the beginning of the week, there have been repeated shootings and road blockades with burning trucks.
Following the kidnapping of a drug lord in Mexico and his subsequent arrest in the USA, gang warfare is on the rise in north-western Mexico. Governor Rubén Rocha has therefore announced that the military presence in the state of Sinaloa will be increased. Around 100 soldiers, combat helicopters and aircraft with artillery have been deployed to the region. Further acts of violence are to be expected.
At the end of July, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, one of Mexico's most wanted drug lords, was arrested in the USA after a decade-long manhunt. Arrested with him was Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of his former partner, the capo Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, who is imprisoned in the USA. According to Mexican investigations, however, "El Mayo" was allegedly kidnapped by Guzmán López and flown to the USA against his will after Guzmán López had made a deal with the US judiciary for his own handover.
In Sinaloa, the two opposing factions of the Sinaloa cartel, led by Zambada's heirs and "El Chapo's" sons, are now engaged in fierce gang warfare. Since the beginning of the week, there have been repeated shootings and roadblocks with burning trucks. According to official figures, at least one soldier was killed in the incidents. According to media reports, six other people were injured.
dpa