El Chapo’s son, Ovidio Guzmán-López, arrested by Mexican authorities during night of violence

The son of notorious druglord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman was arrested early Thursday morning after a wild night of violence that ended with trucks on fire and blocked roads, as well as the temporary closure of offices, schools and the airport, according to local media.

Ovidio Guzmán-López, a.k.a. El Ratón, is a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa cartel. He and his brother, Joaquín Guzmán-López, “function in high-level command and control roles of their own drug trafficking organization, the Guzmán-López Transnational Criminal Organization, under the umbrella of the Sinaloa Cartel,” U.S. authorities say.

El Ratón was arrested by Mexican authorities in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, just days before Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is set to meet with President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Mexico City, according to the Mexican newspaper La Prensa.

Local outlet El Sol de Sinaloa reported several clashes between Mexican authorities and members of the Sinaloa cartel, one of the world’s most powerful narcotics trafficking organizations, starting in the early hours of Thursday.

Videos shared on social media appear to show a massive war zone where heavy gunfire can be heard.

“Given the events that are taking place in Culiacán, I ask all citizens to remain calm and take shelter in their homes,” Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya wrote on Twitter just before 10 a.m. ET. “Authorities are doing their job and we will keep you informed.”

An hour later, Moya confirmed Mexican Federal Forces were carrying out an operation in the city of Jesús María.

“This has led to some violent events in the capital and other parts of the state,” he added. “I reiterate to the public the importance to keep calm and protect themselves until the actions are completed.”

Business offices and schools also announced on social media that doors would be temporarily closed because of the violence.

The International Airport of Culiacán canceled all flights until at least 10 p.m. “for the safety of all passengers.”

In April 2018, the two brothers, known as Los Chapitos, were indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia and charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, 500 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

El Ratón was previously detained by Mexican forces in October 2019 but released shortly after, as authorities reportedly feared violent retribution from the cartel.

In December 2021, the U.S. Department of State said the Guzmán-López brothers were overseeing approximately 11 methamphetamine labs in the state of Sinaloa, which produce an estimated 3,000- 5,000 pounds of narcotic per month. At the time, federal authorities offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Guzmán-López.