The army and the National Guard were called in early Thursday morning to help Sinaloa security forces shut down a giant Christmas party in Culiacán for 1,000 guests, believed to have been organized by “Los Chapitos,” the sons of the jailed ex-leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
The holiday event, known as a posada, featured live musical entertainment, seating for 1,000, piñatas and seven cars — some of which were 2021 models —and home appliances that were to be given away as raffle prizes. The vehicles and appliances were seized along with electronic equipment that bore the initials JGL.
Guzman’s full name is Joaquín Guzmán Loera.
Sinaloa’s security ministry said it shut down the party, which began late Wednesday afternoon, at around 1:00 a.m. and that guests immediately began to disperse without incident. No one was arrested.
Public Security Minister Lt. Col. Cristóbal Castañeda Camarillo said authorities had learned of the event via social media, where videos were circulating showing hundreds of people at a community sports facility in El Dorado, 75 kilometers south of the city of Culiacán.
In the videos, guests were watching a musical group perform live and not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.
Castañeda said the party was not technically illegal other than the fact that the guests were breaking health protocols in place to avoid the spread of Covid-19, and it was on those grounds that it was broken up.
It was the second year for the event, believed to be intended to buy support of residents for the Sinaloa Cartel.
