| Operation Mongoose Azteca | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theMexican Drug War and the Americanwar on drugs | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |  Sinaloa Cartel | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ovidio Guzmán López  | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| |||||||
Operation Mongoose Azteca (August 1, 2022 – January 5, 2023) is the code name for a joint initiative by American and Mexican intelligence and military forces to uncover the criminal activities of theSinaloa Cartel. This operation led to the capture ofOvidio Guzmán López (alias "El Ratón"), a son of the Mexican drug lordJoaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.[1][2] Following the operation, the Sinaloa Cartel orchestrated road blockades, gunfights, and riots in several municipalities, includingCuliacán, the capital ofthe state of Sinaloa.[3][4] After a period of sustained surveillance and joint intelligence work, Mexican forces located and recaptured Ovidio Guzmán in the town of Jesús María.[5]
Ovidio Guzmán was first captured on October 17, 2019, at his home inCuliacán. Minutes after his arrest, theSinaloa Cartel launched a violent offensive, with armed confrontations across the city and threats to attack civilians. On the orders of Mexican PresidentAndrés Manuel López Obrador, Ovidio Guzmán was released and armed forces withdrew from the area to avoid further bloodshed.[6][7][8]
The failed operation, often called the "Culiacanazo," resulted in eight deaths (including one civilian), sixteen injuries, nineteen street blockades, fourteen armed confrontations, eight soldiers captured and released, and 68 military vehicles damaged by gunfire.[9] The cartel also attacked the military headquarters in Culiacán and the state's C4 command center.[10][11] During the chaos, 51 inmates escaped from the Aguaruto prison after a riot in which five guards were disarmed; two of the escapees were recaptured within hours.[12]
After his release, Ovidio Guzmán was seen in public in February 2020, attending the wedding of his half-sister, Alejandrina Gisselle Guzmán, at theCuliacán Cathedral, which had been closed to the public for the event. The wedding gained significant attention on social media after photos and videos of his presence were circulated.[13][14]
In December 2021, theUnited States Department of State offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Ovidio and his three brothers.[15][16]
According to leaked files from Mexico'sSecretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the US began coordinating with SEDENA in May 2021 on investigative operations against the Sinaloa Cartel, utilizing a platform called theAir and Marine Operations Surveillance System (AMOSS).[17][18]
Operation Mongoose Azteca was officially launched by August 1, 2022. Hacked emails from theGuacamaya group revealed that officials from the US embassy had intercepted communications between cartel members working forOvidio Guzmán. These "hawks" were monitored in the Sinaloan municipalities ofBadiraguato,Culiacán,Navolato, andElota.[19] US Customs and Border Protection provided SEDENA with intelligence reports from this surveillance.
Among the conversations considered relevant, which US intelligence logged as "events," were two wiretap reports from August 8 and 9, 2022, that mentioned Ovidio Guzmán. Below is a summary of the intercepted communications.
Event 1: An individual identified as "UIM 1" scolded "UIM 2" after his "cocinero" (cook) was heard discussing operations. UIM 1 also confirmed that men from "Alacran" had begun an unspecified activity and asked UIM 2 about military movements in the area.
Event 2: A group of scouts spotted a small plane ("una blanca") in the neighborhood. UIM 1 instructed his group to monitor the plane's movements. SEDENA noted that this group provides security for the Sinaloa Cartel.
Event 3: UIM 2 asked UIM 1 if a non-urgent meeting could be arranged with "El Viejo," a nickname referring to Ovidio Guzmán.
Event 4: UIM 1 asked UIM 2 about the delivery of "aparatos" (equipment, likely weapons). UIM 1 instructed UIM 2 to deliver all the equipment, including rifles and an "M5" (a likely reference to an assault rifle).
Event 5: UIM 1 warned his network about aMarina convoy in the area and mentioned the presence of "Viejillo" and "Cholon Vago" Special Forces. Another user noted the arrival of "Kaibiles." TheKaibiles are elite soldiers from the Guatemalan army known to provide training to criminal organizations in Mexico; it has been reported that Ovidio's personal security detail received such training.[20]
Event 1: UIM 1 expressed his loyalty to UIM 2 and his boss, "El Raton" (Ovidio Guzmán's nickname).
Event 2: An individual identified as "CS Mochomo" asked about a black Ford Raptor being tracked near anOXXO store. The vehicle was reportedly loaded with rifles.
Event 3: Three minutes later, UIM 1 reported that the Ford Raptor was seen passing near a seminary.
Analysts noted that the OXXO store and seminary are located just 950 meters apart in the "Tres Ríos" area of Culiacán, a zone controlled by the "Los Chapitos" faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.[21][22]
In the early hours of January 5, 2023, the operation to capture Guzmán began. A National Guard patrol in the town of Jesús María identified a convoy of six armored trucks. When the patrol attempted to inspect the vehicles, gunmen opened fire, initiating a fierce shootout.[23][24]
During the confrontation, Ovidio Guzmán and his security detail retreated and barricaded themselves inside his fortified estate nearby.[25] Mexican Army special forces unit, including theSpecial Reaction Force, theParachute Riflemen Brigade, and theSpecial Forces Corps, were mobilized to the scene. The ensuing battle at the compound lasted for hours. With support from helicopter gunships, the special forces operators eventually stormed the estate. They successfully captured Guzmán along with eighteen other armed members of his security team.[26][27]
After his capture, Ovidio Guzmán was flown toMexico City in aMexican Air Force aircraft. While the plane was on the runway atCuliacán International Airport, it was attacked by Sinaloa Cartel gunmen in an attempt to prevent his departure.[28][29]
Upon arrival in Mexico City, Guzmán was transferred to the custody of theAssistant Attorney General's Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime, whileInterpol Mexico prepared an arrest warrant for his extradition. He was subsequently imprisoned at theFederal Social Readaptation Center No. 1, a maximum-security federal prison inAlmoloya de Juárez.[30]
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