Other MoA event in Mexico on Wed 22nd April 2026

High-impact operations shook the mountainous region of Badiraguato this Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Omar García Harfuch, head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, confirmed the deployment of federal forces in the Golden Triangle, specifically on the border between Sinaloa and El Durazno, Durango. Although the roar of helicopters and troop movements fueled rumors about the capture of Aureliano Guzmán Loera, alias El Guano, authorities have denied his arrest so far. The Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) maintains control in the area after reporting several arrests, but clarified that Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's older brother is not among those apprehended. At the scene, we spoke with community members who explained that the deployment was a surprise and closed key routes, sparking fears of potential clashes between federal forces and the Gente del Guano faction, which maintains a tight grip on heroin production and fentanyl trafficking in that rugged region. Despite the reported cordon around the Culiacán airport and rumors of an immediate transfer to Mexico City, Aureliano Guzmán Loera's whereabouts remain a mystery. El Guano is not only vying for territorial control with his nephews, Los Chapitos, but is also a top priority target for the U.S. Department of Justice, which is offering a multimillion-dollar reward for his capture. The operation continues in the mountains, where the silence of the authorities contrasts sharply with the tension of the residents who have watched the net tighten around the patriarch of the Guzmán family.