A Mexico City federal judge halted the extradition of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán’s son, alleged drug cartel leader Ovidio Guzmán, to the United States on Friday, a day after he was arrested in an intense operation in northern Mexico that led to the deaths of 29 people, CNN reported.
The arrest of Ovidio Guzman, the son of jailed drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, sparked off a rampage of violence in the northwestern Mexican city of Culiacan, led by members of his Sinaloa drug cartel.
Gunfire erupted, vehicles torched and roads blocked while cartel members clash with security forces. At least 10 military personnel and 19 suspected members of the Sinaloa drug cartel were killed.
The US is seeking Guzmán’s extradition for drug trafficking and has offered up to $5 million for information leading to the capture of the man they say is “a senior member of the Sinaloa Cartel.”
On Thursday 5th January, Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard confirmed that there is an arrest warrant in the US dated September 19, 2019, but said the possible extradition of Guzmán would not be immediate due to the formalities of the law. He also stated that Guzmán has ongoing legal proceedings in Mexico.
The violence has prompted government authorities to warn residents to stay indoors. The Culiacan and Mazatlan airports were closed and all flights were suspended at the Los Mochis airport until further notice, according to Canada’s Global Affairs. The Canadian government urged Canadians in Mexico’s Sinaloa state to limit their movements and to shelter in place.
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