Chaos Inside AMLO's Cabinet: Accusations Fly After Chapo's Son Failed Capture

These are intense moments inside Andrés Manuel López Obrador's Security Cabinet. Whereas confrontations between criminal groups and security forces are far from over in Sinaloa, in Mexico City accusations multiply and the rumor of Secretary of Security Alfredo Durazo's resignation grows because of the failed attempt in capturing Joaquín Guzmán Loera's son 800 miles away, in a residential neighborhood in Culiacán.

AMLO was made aware of the situation on Thursday afternoon. The operation was executed in the utmost secrecy by Mexican Armed Forces in coordination with U.S. security agencies -perhaps the most interested party in the operation-, which prevented the Government any chance to act.

According to sources inside the cabinet, an operation was organized from the Secretariat of Defense so that the National Guard would stop the drug lord's son. Being immediately outnumbered, the Navy was called to intervene. They quickly took over command at the scene.

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The quick response by the criminal organizations in Sinaloa left the Armed Forces without any chance to resolve the standoff. During the evening, jail inmates were broke free, roads were blocked, and civilian and military airports were shut down. The capture was achieved but it was impossible to take Ovidio Guzmán out of Culiacán, much less of the State.

Inside the military forces, it has been mentioned that there was collusion between the municipal and state police agencies and the criminal organization. These, for now, are just rumors. Should they be confirmed, tough weeks are ahead for PRI Governor Quirino Ordaz. For much less, a "disappearance of powers" was talked about in Guanajuato and Tamaulipas. 

At the National Palace, it has been warned that the Secretariat of National Defense's plan, organized along with US authorities was a motivation for the kickstart of Donald Trump's campaign with a spectacular detention in northern Mexico. This would be the same degree of cooperation -borderline in submission- that the Mexican Government is showing regarding immigration affairs with the neighboring country.

The break of dawn could bring other exits in the cabinet. The head of the National Intelligence Center, Gen. Audomaro Martínez Zapata, did not give the president the necessary information and that might be the costliest political mistake: the Government could have said that they tried to capture Guzmán and in the process the situation went out of hand, but the idea that he was captured and then freed to restrain the violence sheds light on how fragile the State of Law is in Mexico.

The National Guard's reputation has also been wounded. The newly-formed organization tried to be effective during a moment in which the safety numbers in the country are not improving, and instead of a victory, the armed force delivered a surrender which will make headlines around the world.

The President had a restless night due to information mismanagement which calls into question the usefulness of meeting with his Security specialists every morning, just for them to later make him scandalously stumble. Will there be more resignations?