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Men from the Sinaloa cartel are positioned on the outskirts of a Culiacan shopping center after the announcement of the arrest of Ovidio Guzman on October 17, 2019. REUTERS / Jesus Bustamante

Mexican police and armed gangs clashed fiercely on Thursday evening, Oct. 17, in Culiacan, the stronghold of El Chapo, a cartel leader who has served a life sentence in the United States since last July. It was on the sidelines of this battle that a man, identified as Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was given as arrested. Then he was finally released under pressure from the gunmen.

The information remains unclear but the man was located a bit " by accident ", during a patrol of the National Guard in Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa (north-west).

Several Mexican media, including Milenio TV and Televisa, as well as the Reuters news agency, citing various sources, first announced the arrest of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, in Culiacan. , by the security forces. This announcement would have triggered the response of armed civilians.

Then, in a brief address, the Secretary of State for Security and Citizen Protection, Alfonso Durazo said that Guzman's son was " located with three other occupants " in a housing unit of the provincial capital, not saying clearly if the man was detained.

Mensaje del Gabinete de Seguridad sobre los hechos aroused in Culiacán, Sinaloa: pic.twitter.com/gQ0pwrryr0

Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (@SSPCMexico) October 18, 2019

Third, Alfonso Durazo confirms to Reuters that the security forces released Guzman to protect himself.

For his part, El Milenio also indicates that Ovidio Guzman Lopez was " left free " to " protect " the inhabitants.

Release of Ovidio Guzmán now reportedly confirmed to @Reuters by Alfonso Durazo, Mexico's top public security official. Soldiers are under attack by cartel gunmen. https://t.co/0OOaPXzirb

Keegan Hamilton (@keegan_hamilton) October 18, 2019

Since his father's imprisonment this summer , Ovidio Guzman Lopez, along with his brothers - one of whom was said to have been killed in the same clashes - has retained influence in the Sinaloa cartel.

The security cabinet of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has met in Oaxaca and should give more statements on these events during the day.

Heavy gunfire by armed civilians against Mexican security forces in Culiacan (north-west) sounded in the middle of the streets of the 750,000-strong town in the middle of the afternoon, as well as vehicle explosions, forcing residents to hide at home. them, reported a correspondent of AFP. Schools and daycares are closed.

Considered the world's most powerful narco-trafficker, El Chapo has shipped at least 1,200 tons of cocaine over a quarter of a century to the United States. Despite his arrest, the organization continues to carry the majority of the drugs entering the United States. During the trial, the prosecution showed that the Mexican had ordered the killing or himself killed at least 26 people, sometimes after torturing them. They were informants, traffickers from rival organizations, police officers, collaborators and even members of his own family.

(With AFP)