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Mexican President Defends Decision to Free Drug Kingpin's Son

VOA News

   Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradoron Friday
   defendedfreeingthe son ofdrug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman,
   whompolice let go during a shootout with drug gangs.

   Lopez Obrador said police "did well" to free Ovidio Guzman,contending
   that "capturing a criminal can't be worth more than people's lives."

   Police briefly captured Guzman late Thursday but released him when
   cartel gunmen in the northwestern Mexican city of Culiacan surrounded
   authorities and opened fire across the city, sparking
   widespreadgunbattles.

   Mexican Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval told a news conference
   in CuliacanonFriday that the operation had not been planned properly.

   "It was done hastily, the consequences were not considered, the
   riskiest part wasn'ttaken into account," he said.

   'Failure'

   Security Minister Alfonso Durazo, who also addressed the news
   conference, called the operation a "failure."

   Mexican security forces havebeen criticizedfor releasing Guzman, giving
   the impression that the city is under the control of the drug cartel.

   Lopez Obrador insisted Fridaythat his security strategy for the
   countrywas working, saying,"We're doing really well in our strategy."He
   took office in December promising a less confrontational approach to
   fighting gangs that focuses more on tackling social ills instead of the
   use of force.

   Video footage posted on social media from Thursday's violence showed
   panicked residents feeling gunshots. The violence also led to a large
   group of inmates at the city prison rioting and escaping from the
   building.

   The elder Guzmanis serving a life sentence in the United States after
   being convicted in February of drug trafficking. He had previously
   escaped from prison in Mexico twice, in 2001 and 2015.

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