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CULIACAN – Inside a sports arena successful Sinaloa state’s capital, the assemblage was sparse aboriginal connected the paper arsenic young amateur boxers successful puffy headgear threw punches and danced astir the ring. Outside stood a bronze statue of Julio César Chávez successful boxing trunks, 1 mitt raised.
The lawsuit Friday was organized by 1 of Chávez’s brothers and “The Legend” himself was advertised arsenic a specially invited guest. But Chávez didn’t appear. It had been a hard week for the family.
Chávez’s eldest son, Julio César Chávez Jr., was arrested by U.S. migration agents extracurricular his location successful Los Angeles connected Wednesday, accused of overstaying his visa and lying connected a greenish paper application.
But much important present successful Culiacan was that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security besides noted that determination was an progressive warrant for his apprehension successful Mexico for alleged arms and cause trafficking and suggested ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. The bureau said helium would beryllium processed for expedited removal.
The Legend
The sanction Julio César Chávez successful Culiacan is similar saying Diego Maradona successful Argentina. People halt and conversations begin.
Chávez is the city’s idol and root of pride, known simply arsenic “The Legend.” He went from a moving people vicinity on bid tracks to the highest echelons of boxing fame and became a nationalist hero.
But erstwhile the questions crook to Chávez’s eldest lad and the Sinaloa Cartel, speech ends and eyes avert.
There was a clip erstwhile galore successful Culiacan would talk of the cartel that carries their state’s name, possibly with euphemisms, but openly each the same, due to the fact that its power was implicit and for that they mostly lived successful peace.
But since a bloody feud erupted betwixt factions of the cartel past year, pursuing the abduction of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to the United States by 1 of the sons of erstwhile person Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, it’s safer to debar immoderate notation astatine all.
Alleged cartel ties
In the stands Friday night, the apprehension of The Legend’s son, was connected the minds of many, but discussed lone successful hushed voices.
Óscar Arrieta, a sports newsman successful Culiacan, covers boxing and said Chávez Jr.’s apprehension had had a large interaction successful Culiacan, mostly due to the fact that the “harsh” mode U.S. authorities linked him to organized crime.
U.S. authorities did not item the alleged ties betwixt Chávez Jr. and the cartel different than to notation that helium joined a U.S. national who is the parent of a granddaughter of Guzmán.
He mused astatine wherefore if determination had been a Mexican apprehension warrant since 2023, hadn’t determination been immoderate effort to seizure him. He was a precise nationalist figure, progressive connected societal media and for the past six months oregon more, grooming for a highly promoted combat successful California.
On Friday, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said that helium had mostly been successful the U.S. since the apprehension warrant was issued.
“I deliberation it was besides a mode for the United States to exposure the Mexican authorities successful a way, but without a uncertainty overmuch much impactful, due to the fact that usually sports doesn’t premix with thing else, overmuch little with organized crime,” Arrieta said.
‘An fantabulous person’
Culiacan’s boxing gyms had mostly been quiescent since Thursday’s announcement of Chávez Jr.’s arrest, successful mentation for Friday’s event.
There had already been weigh-in for Friday’s fights and astir fighters weren’t around.
At 1 that was mostly covered outdoor spaces, teenagers tightly wrapped their wrists, bounced and shuffled, shadiness boxing successful a circle.
Jorge Romero is simply a erstwhile nonrecreational boxer who trained nether different Chávez brother. Now he’s a trainer astatine Sinaloa Autonomous University.
Romero said helium knows Chávez Jr., regards him “an fantabulous person, a large quality being” who had truly focused connected his grooming up of his bout successful California conscionable a week ago. He expressed afloat enactment for him.
Questions of ties betwixt Chávez Jr. and organized crime, Romero said, were “too delicate” to touch. But successful general, helium said boxing and the cartel walked abstracted paths successful Culiacan.
“We don’t person thing to bash with organized crime,” helium said. “On the contrary, it’s a cleanable sport, precise steadfast from my constituent of view.”
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