“There is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.”- Dwight Eisenhower. Mexico, our sister country, is in the depths of despair right now. Terror floods the streets as the men of the cartel thrive off the fear. This began with the head of the Cartel himself Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. For a little backstory on the beginning of one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the world. Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera was born on April 4, 1957. He made his name known to the world as El Chapo, Leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. The infamous leader of one of the deadliest organizations in the world made his break in 1987 at the age of 32. Guzman is famous for outsmarting law enforcement and his smarts were praised and even studied. His reign over the cartel came to a halt in 2019 when he was caught and sentenced to life in prison. However this did not stop the power of the cartel and their ruthlessness. Their trade continued under new leadership of El Chapo’s second in command and son, Ovidio Guzman.

Now with a little backstory provided, now the title of Chapo has been passed to his son, a new threat is presented. According to abc7chicago news, Ovidio has been on the radar of the DEA since El Chapo’s arrest and with the growth of the production of fentanyl, the Sinaloa Cartel was number one on their list. On Thursday January 5, Olvidio Guzman was apprehended by Mexican authorities however this did not go without consequences. The Sinaloa Cartel retaliated in the name of their imprisoned leaders. They began terrorizing the streets of Culiacan, leaving chaos and wreckage in their wake. Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval initiated a security blockade by cutting off the entrance and exit of Culiacan. However this reinforced the brutality of the Cartel, who ceased to relent. Taking lives and thriving off fear until their leader was released. Due to the violent nature of the cartel, Mexican citizens have been instructed to stay indoors to avoid any more casualties.

The urge to arrest and contain Ovidio Guzman comes after the failed attempt to arrest him in 2019. This led to some serious criticism towards the Mexican government. However, it is currently unknown when Ovidio will stand trial and whether he will be extradited to the United States, who have a bounty for him. He and his father are currently being held in separate prisons however the rest of the Guzman children are at large and still hidden from the authorities.