Calm returns to Sinaloa: people on the streets and businesses reopen

A few hours after the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, son of drug trafficker Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, which unleashed a wave of violence across the state capital Culiacán, the Secretary of Public Security of Sinaloa, Cristóbal Castañeda, informed the population that there are safe conditions in the state to carry out daily activities.

Through his Twitter account, the official made it known that no violent events were recorded during Thursday night and the early hours of this Friday, January 6.

“We consider that there are conditions to return to normal activities,” said Castañeda, however, he asked motorists to drive with the windows of their vehicles down, in case they have them tinted.

Likewise, the Secretary of Security of Sinaloa assured that stores and businesses can reopen today, and also commented that operations and patrols will continue in Culiacán, which are coordinated by the three levels of government.

Finally, he reminded the population to call 911 to report any emergency.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador informed in his morning conference this Friday at the National Palace that the decision was made to maintain the presence of elements of the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena), National Guard and state police in Culiacán and throughout Sinaloa to protect the population.

He also stated that he had a telephone call with the governor of Sinaloa, Rubén Rocha Moya, who notified him that there were no more narco-blockades in the last hours.

“Fortunately there has been a calm in these times, in these last hours, I spoke with the governor and he mentioned to me that there are no armed groups in Sinaloa, in blockades”, stated AMLO.

The governor of the entity detailed to the president of Mexico that since yesterday they have been working to remove the remains of the vehicles set on fire by criminal groups on different roads.

“There are no active blockades, only the interruption in some road sections where we have not been able to completely remove the blocking vehicles because they are very large and because they are very complex due to the situation in which they were placed, but we are working to remove scrap metal and debris on all roads, perhaps that task will take us all day, especially in certain road sections.”

“In the city of Culiacán we have already opened all the blocked streets and we are working to remove the burned cars that we have placed on the sidewalks,” said Rocha Moya to López Obrador.

Like the Secretary of Security of Sinaloa, the Mayor of Culiacán, Juan de Díos Gámez Mendívil, informed the population that there are “security conditions to resume activities today“.

He also pointed out that the cleanup work continues and assured that patrols continue throughout the city to safeguard the inhabitants.

Mega-operation to capture Ovidio Guzmán unleashes chaos in Culiacán

From the early hours of Thursday, January 5, violent acts were recorded in various parts of Culiacán, Sinaloa, following the operation implemented by the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) to arrest the son of ‘El Chapo’.

In the Sinaloan capital there were shootings, narco-blockades, burning and theft of vehicles by alleged hired assassins, who also looted stores and businesses during the day in response to the capture of ‘El Ratón’.

As a result, the Secretary of Public Security of the state, asked the population to remain calm and take shelter in their homes, so establishments closed their doors, classes were suspended at all educational levels and flights were also cancelled at Culiacan International Airport.

According to Sedena reports, the violent events registered in Culiacán for the recapture of Ovidio Guzmán, left a total of 29 dead and 21 people arrested.

TYT Newsroom