Unless you have been away from the news today you must know that the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was taken into custody today in a joint Mexico/US effort. He was apprehended in a condominium in the middle of the malecón, about halfway between Centro and the Golden Zone. I went for a walk this morning after being woken by a few loud helicopters, but on the malecón the triathalon that was being held was the only thing breaking the quiet. I turned around before I got to the Miramar condominiums, but by then Guzman was long gone anyway.
Mazatlán’s annual Carnaval event is set to start next Thursday, and I hope this incident makes people feel more confident rather than less about security in Mazatlán. I mean, really – they took the head of the Sinaloa cartel into custody without incident, to me that is great news.
I hope that friends don’t tell me to “stay safe” – to me my city is safer now than ever. I feel excited about the upcoming Carnaval festivities and look forward to enjoying all the fun this city has to offer. We spent the day today enjoying the beach at Stone Island and as far as I could tell it was business as usual everywhere.
The video above is from our local paper, Noroeste, and it is in Spanish.
Marty
February 22, 2014I wonder if all the extra police we saw on our visit had something to do with this. Maybe making their presence know so the general populace wouldn’t be harmed in the arrest.
Nancy
February 23, 2014Marty, I don’t know about that, it could be related.
Pamela, Things have been so great this season here, I would love it to keep on this way.
Peter, It’s good he was finally caught.
Pancho, I don’t think any of us know what will happen with the Sinaloa Cartel now. Much of what I’m reading says that most of the day to day management had already been in other hands so his loss is more of a figurative one. But it all remains to be seen, of course.
Pamela
February 22, 2014I dislike how the media glamorizes him by using a 21 year old photograph of him instead of current or later photographs. He is not a movie star. He is a criminal.
Thank you Nancy for continuing to emphasize the positive in Mazatlan.
Pamela
Peter Kouwenhoven
February 22, 2014Great news, Mazatlán is now a much better place, hopefully this snake will not produce more offspring.
pancho
February 23, 2014Just created a new job opening.. Next CEO of sinaloa Cartel will be more ruthless cause he will be shooting his way into the job… the plus about chapo he kept the zetas out… the war for the state of sinaloa will start soon. There is a reaction for every action
Kim G
February 24, 2014Let’s hope the second time is the charm, LOL. They’ve screwed this up before. Meanwhile, his sons are issuing threats against the government via Twitter.
Never a dull moment, SOB.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we’re hoping they’ll send Guzmán to the USA, where he’ll be tried, convicted, and then stay in jail without escaping.
Nancy
February 24, 2014Kim, What a weird world this is sometimes. Here he had been hiding in the mountains, decided to come down to Culiacan where his homes had solid steel doors and escape tunnels… escaped from there to choose the fourth floor of a small condo complex in Mazatlán??? Maybe he wanted to get caught? Hopefully any funny stuff that comes after happens in his home base of Culiacan.
You’re right, never a dull moment.