The son of infamous drug cartel leader “El Chapo,” who is sought by US authorities for his role in the fentanyl epidemic that killed up to 70,000 Americans last year, was detained by authorities in the northwest state of Sinaloa four days before President Joe Biden travels south to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
In shootouts with Sinaloa Cartel members during the operation to capture Ovidio Guzman on Thursday and transport him to Mexico City by military aircraft, at least 29 people—including 10 Mexican soldiers—were dead.
Officials Mexican
Mexican officials publicly refuted the claim that the raid was planned to demonstrate to Washington that its southern neighbor is an active participant in the politically contentious bilateral effort to stop the flow of
However, some current and former American counternarcotics officials are suspicious, pointing out that Rafael Caro Quintero, another “most wanted” drug cartel leader, was apprehended in Sinaloa only a few days after Biden and Lopez Obrador met there in July to discuss a number of topics, including the drug war that has tested the two nations’ security alliance for the past 50 years.
JB46 must be way more aggressive with Mexico 🇲🇽. Enough is enough. Way too many Americans are dying from deadly fentanyl coming into US from cartel labs and they need to be DESTROYED!🇺🇸
Biden Mexico visit: Can US, AMLO halt deadly cartel flow of fentanyl? https://t.co/jIHmy525LG
— Derek Maltz Sr (@derekmaltz_sr) January 8, 2023
“Politics clearly seems to be involved. There is a lot of talk right now that timing is everything, “Derek Maltz, a former employee of the Drug Enforcement Administration, spoke to USA TODAY. Since Ovidio was indicted in New York in 2018 on allegations of narcotics trafficking, “Biden announces he’s coming down to Mexico, so now they’re going to go out and capture Ovidio.”
Maltz, who assisted in organizing the international operation to apprehend Ovidio’s father. Joaquin Guzmán Loera, said, “I really don’t know for sure. “But in my opinion, it won’t make a difference until there are consistent assaults against the cartel leadership and the manufacturing facilities. Meanwhile, 9,000 Americans pass away each month.”
‘No Secret’ What Both Sides Want
It’s no secret what Biden will be asking of López Obrador, and vice versa, when they meet in Mexico City coming week on the sidelines of the North American Leaders ’ Summit.
And Biden wants Mexico to stop the flood tide of deadly anesthetics coming into the United States, especially fentanyl, which killed more Americans last time than COVID- 19, motor vehicle accidents, cancer and self-murder. further discreetly. He’ll also push Mexico to do far further to attack the rampant government corruption and conspiracy that for decades has allowed the syndicates to flourish.
Working Hard For A Deal
Aides to each president had been running behind the curtain to tee up some shape of counternarcotics agreement. Or as a minimum sign of development, that may be announced when the 2 meet.
On Friday, White House spokesman John Kirby said Mexico already has taken ” massive steps”. To crack down on fentanyl traffickers and reference Guzman’s arrest. “That is not an insignificant accomplishment by means of the Mexican government. And we’re absolutely thankful for that,” Kirby advised newshounds. “So we are going to continue to work with them in lockstep to peer what. We will do together to attempt to limit that go with the flow.”
Security analysts, however, advised USA TODAY that the final results are probably going to be. The same as it’s been after similar summits attended by almost each U.S. President because Richard Nixon established the U.S. “War on Drugs” just over 50 years ago. There will be guarantees made via each aspect to do greater, observed via the inevitable backsliding on the subject of turning the promises of the one into fact.
That’s mainly the case because of counternarcotics relations between Washington and Mexico City. Were at a surprisingly low point considering AMLO, as he is popularly known. Became president in December 2018. Almost right now, he threw out the bilateral playbook the two nations have been using to head after the cartels.
Troubles Are Very Hard
Even as Mexico’s homicide fee soared, López Obrador stated he had no aim of going after the cartels. But rather specialize in a greater holistic “Hugs, not bullets” approach that prioritized social welfare over law enforcement.
“These troubles are very hard. They’re very tough. But appearance, you’ve been given to restart a number of those conversations and have, once more. An extra constructive, sincere dialogue between the 2 countries to beget a framework, and start a method. That leads to more movement,” said David Luna, a former pinnacle State Department reliable. Who led bilateral efforts to fight the growing chance of transnational drug cartels.