Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was reportedly killed during a recent gun battle in Guatemala.
Witnesses said one of the bodies found at the scene of the shooting resembled Guzman. Authorities believe the battle took place in a rural section of the country known as Peten.
Although reports are currently circulating that El Chapo was killed during the fight, authorities have stressed that Guzman’s death has not been officially confirmed.
The Associated Press reports that police intend to search the rural area of Guatemala first thing Friday morning.
Initial reports regarding El Chapo’s death have been sketchy. While Government spokesman Francisco Cuevas said they were waiting on “technical information” to determine if Guzman had been killed, he later said authorities hadn’t found any bodies.
When asked about the rumors, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said he didn’t have any official word about the situation.
However, Residents of the town where the gun battle took place seem convinced that the drug lord was among those killed during the recent attack.
According to The Wall Street Journal , an initial sweep of the area where the gun battle allegedly took place has turned up nothing. A spokesperson for the Guatemalan president said finding the exact location of the shoot-out could prove problematic since the area is so remote.
Joaquin Guzman is the head of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. Although he was captured in 1993, he managed to escape from prison in 2001. He is considered to be one of the top organized crime bosses in the entire world.
According to Sky News , El Chapo is currently one of the most wanted men in the United States. Chicago recently declared Guzman to be Public Enemy No. 1, a title previously held by Al Capone. Forbes estimates his worth at around $1 billion.
It is still unknown if El Chapo was among those killed during the gun battle on Thursday.
[Image by 7Dias ]