Mexican authorities have released the son of Joaquin Guzmán (El Chapo), the jailed drug-trading emperor in the United States, hours after his arrest, in clashes between the authorities and the gang in the northern city of Culiacan, killing eight people.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tried to justify the decision to abandon Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 28, and said at his daily news conference on Friday: "I support the decisions taken. Things have not gone well and many civilians are at great risk."

"The capture of a criminal is no more important than people's lives," he said, adding that officials "acted well" by releasing Guzmán.

Defense Minister Luis Krishenkoi Sandoval spoke of "mistakes in planning the operation," stressing that Guzmán, one of the nine sons of El Shabu, was not arrested.

"Our men in the area moved hastily and did not wait for the raid and began to be shot at. They worked without planning and without assessing the consequences of their move, hoping for a positive outcome."

At the same press conference, Security Minister Alfonso Durazno confirmed that the information owned by the security forces was false, and that armed groups were roaming the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening and spotted the National Guard and the military who came to arrest Guzmán and three of his associates.

The effects of the battle on the streets of the city (Reuters)

dead and wounded
Members of the gang surrounded the security forces and the army in Culiacan on Thursday and stormed the prison shortly after Guzmán's arrest.He exchanged heavy artillery fire and anti-tank rocket launchers in six hours of clashes that killed eight people and wounded dozens, forcing Guzman's release.

In July, the United States sentenced El Chapo, the world's most powerful drug trafficker, to life in prison after transporting at least 1,200 tons of cocaine to the country in a quarter of a century, but his gang continues to transport the bulk of the drugs. US intervention.

The websites are full of criticism of President Obrador, accusing him of bowing to the gang's demand, and since he came to power in December he has vowed to restore calm to a country that has been tired of more than a decade of gang violence.